Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Friday was Sorry Day. In the morning I joined dozens of community members in the City of Whittlesea's annual sorry walk, listening to elders, paying my respects and saying sorry. It was also the sixth anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart—that generous invitation from our First Nations people to the rest of us to walk together towards reconciliation.

I was honoured to have my friend Sheena Watt, member for the Northern Metropolitan Region of the Victorian parliament, join me, Minister Lily D'Ambrosio and Lauren Kathage, together with many engaged local residents at the Epping Memorial Hall, to discuss the upcoming referendum for constitutional recognition of our First Nations people in the form of a Voice to Parliament. Sheena spoke movingly, passionately and powerfully about what is at stake for her as a proud Yorta Yorta woman and for us all. Through an extensive question-and-answer session she answered many queries and addressed concerns. The room contained a diversity of opinion, but there was an overwhelming sense of support for the Voice—for responding to what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have asked for.

I was particularly struck throughout the conversation by the unfairness of Sheena having to tell her story on this day in this manner because right now there isn't the mechanism the Voice will provide and because there isn't a way for the perspectives of First Peoples, as First Peoples, to be brought to bear on our decision-making, and this has to change. We must recognise the fact of our 65,000-year history in our Constitution. We must also enable the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be heard on those issues that affect them. This is good manners, but it's so much more than that. It's a big step towards realising our potential as a nation, as a genuinely reconciled country that harnesses its diversity as our greatest strength.

The conversation at the town hall was respectful and considered but exposed how pervasive myths and misinformation have become in this debate. Organising this forum brought home to me the consequences of the coarsening of our public debate, including by those who should know better—like the Leader of the Opposition. His disgraceful speech in the parliament has fanned ugly flames and is both dividing Australians and denying people public space because they are afraid. We need to be better than this. It has to be incumbent on all of us in public life to recognise the effect of our words on every member of the community. This begins with taking a zero-tolerance approach to racism and recognising its staggering ongoing impact on First Nations people in particular.

This is the floor though, not the ceiling. Right now, people are being hurt and are being threatened. This cannot be how public debate takes place in Australia. We do need to get better at disagreeing with one another in terms that ensure that all people are always respected—all people, not all viewpoints because what we say carries consequences. We must always remember this and maintain our focus on ensuring that our words don't deny others their rightful voice.