Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

There are a range of issues there. We are obviously considering the legislation but I think our view is that it is a very serious step to invoke Commonwealth powers to overturn the laws of a state. It has always been a traditional Liberal Party position, as I understand it, not to do so. So I think it is noteworthy that Mr Abbott is now in favour of Commonwealth intervention to overturn state laws. I wonder how Senator Bernardi and the others from the right-wing branch of the Liberal Party feel about such steps. I do respect the views of Mr Pearson and other Aboriginal leaders in the Cape York area. They have a right to express their views and, clearly, they have a knowledge of the area that makes it that those views should be taken seriously. We think that engaging directly with the Queensland government on these issues is the best policy response.