Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Senator, I can assure you that it remains a priority for the ministers responsible and at the forefront of our agenda, and you saw the Prime Minister respond to the parliament the other day. My point to you is that the reorganisation of COAG’s arrangements has been taken by the Commonwealth and the states together as being a better reflection of their priorities and the organisational structures to support those. But, at the end of the day, successive governments, on our side and on yours, have mouthed platitudes about achieving results in Indigenous affairs in this country and we have failed Indigenous people. I am much, much more interested in whether or not we are getting results and, if we are not, how we address those issues. I am constantly making the plea that we leave the politics out of this stuff and see if we cannot all work together to get a much better outcome for Indigenous people than successive governments have been able to deliver.