Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. Can the minister confirm whether members of the Voice would be elected or appointed, and how would the government's objective of gender parity be achieved?

Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. I thank the member because the question relates to constitutional recognition. The Uluru Statement from the Heart is very clear, and, if people had taken the time to look at the principles that outline what the Voice will be about, they would have seen that one of them is gender parity. It is gender parity, which is very important and has been a very consistent theme, as Julian Leeser would be able to tell you, in the inquiry that he and Patrick Dodson undertook. The important thing about the Voice is this: it is absolutely about listening. It is about the establishment of an advisory committee that will provide advice to this parliament. It is also going to be made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and, as the principles say, it will represent local communities, it will be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and it is very clear in those principles.