House debates Questions without Notice
Makarrata Commission
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women
2:31 pm
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. The minister has previously said that the makarrata commission's work is 'really code for treaty without saying it'. Can the minister explain this statement?
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water
Is that really the biggest issue?
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The Minister for the Environment and Water will cease interjecting.
Linda Burney Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
Y (—) (): I thank the member for Farrer for her question. What I have to say is difficult to listen to. We support the Uluru Statement from the Heart. We support constitutional recognition through a voice. We support makarrata, and funding has been allocated in line with our election commitment. The reason that we need a voice is that for far too long governments have made policy for Indigenous Australians not with Indigenous Australians, and the Voice can change that. We need a voice because there is a life expectancy gap of eight years between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians—
Milton Dick Speaker
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women
On relevance, Mr Speaker. The question didn't mention the Voice. The question asked you, with respect, to explain your previous statement that the makarrata commission is really code for treaty. So, with respect, the answer needs—
Milton Dick Speaker
Resume your seat. On the point of order, Chief Government Whip?
Joanne Ryan Lalor, Australian Labor Party
Could the Speaker remind the member to address her questions through you.
Milton Dick Speaker
I remind all that standing orders are not to reflect on the chair. The minister was asked a question to explain her comments and her statements. It's up to her to answer that way if she sees fit. I'm listening carefully to her. She has mentioned makarrata. I'll give her the call, but I will listen carefully to make sure her answer is relevant.
Linda Burney Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have certainly mentioned makarrata and funding allocated to makarrata. I was speaking about life expectancy. We need a voice because the suicide rate for our people is twice as high. We need the Voice for people like Kaya, Betty and Adele Sandy, who lived at Doomadgee in north-west Queensland. All three women had been diagnosed and lived with rheumatic heart disease four years. Tragically, all three women died from complications of rheumatic heart disease in 2019 and 2020. It is a disease that has all but disappeared from non-Indigenous communities. Ms Sandy was 37 and the mother of four children. I know their loss is still felt in Doomadgee, and I extend my sympathies to their families and the entire community.
Milton Dick Speaker
I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order.
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women
I seek leave for the minister to table the document from which she was reading. It can't be confidential, Mr Speaker, because she read from it word for word.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
For reasons I don't understand, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition framed that as seeking leave, so, therefore, leave is denied.