Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Grogan for her question and her advocacy in relation to support for constitutional change and a voice to parliament. Yesterday was a truly historic day, when the country took a big step forward on the journey to constitutional recognition for First Nations Australians through a voice to parliament. The Prime Minister, together with members of the Referendum Working Group, announced the wording of the constitutional amendment and the question that will be put to the Australian people at a referendum later this year. That question is:

A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?

This is a straightforward question and one we believe will get the support of the majority of Australians at a referendum later this year. That's because Australians understand that constitutional recognition through a voice is about two things: recognition and consultation. It's recognition of the 65,000 years of shared history and continuous connection to this land by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and consultation through voice, because listening to communities leads to better policies and better outcomes.

The voice referendum is a unifying moment for Australia. It's about moving Australia forward for everybody. The Constitution amendment bill will be introduced to parliament next week. There will be a parliamentary committee. This will provide an opportunity for further examination. It will also give all Australians a chance to make formal submissions on the proposed amendment and the question. Australians can have confidence that the amendment has been put under the microscope and stress-tested by the best legal minds in the country. The amendment is constitutionally sound and the Solicitor-General has been fully involved in this process. Constitutional recognition has been discussed in this country for decades, and this is an opportunity for us to answer that— (Time expired)