House debates Questions without Notice

First Nations Australians

Wednesday, 18 October 2023 House of Representatives

Sussan Ley

Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

2:17 pm

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. The minister has previously stated that the makarrata commission is 'really code for treaty without saying it'.

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Milton Dick

Milton Dick Speaker

Order! Members on my right will cease interjecting. I need to hear the question, otherwise I'll allow the deputy leader to restate her question. I've heard it so far, but she'll be heard in silence for the remainder of the question.

Sussan Ley

Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

Is the minister still committed to treaty and truth-telling?

Linda Burney

Linda Burney Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians

2:18 pm

I thank the member for Farrer for her question. The request for a voice to parliament came from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. That's why we took it to a referendum. It was supported by so many Indigenous people. In Wadeye, we saw it was 92 per cent. In the Tiwi Islands it was 84 per cent. In Maningrida it was 88 per cent. And the polling team that visited Yuendumu recorded 75 per cent. These are remarkable outcomes and tell a very important story in terms of this referendum. Of course, we respect the result and accept the decision of the Australian people. Our focus has always been on getting better results for Indigenous Australians. I think that's something that we all agree on.