Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Gallagher. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament will give Indigenous communities a route to help inform policy and legal decisions that impact on their lives. We heard yesterday that the wording of the referendum question relating to changing the Constitution has been resolved, which is great news. How is the government progressing its commitment to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament?

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

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Grogan, a first supplementary?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There's been a lot of work behind the scenes over quite a lengthy period of time to consider the Voice to Parliament and what it might look like. Can the minister detail the advice provided to the government from the Referendum Working Group?

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

I thank Senator Grogan for the supplementary. The Referendum Working Group is made up of First Nations people from across the country who have been working on constitutional recognition for many, many years—people like Ken Wyatt, the former Liberal minister, professors Marcia Langton and Megan Davis, Noel Pearson, Pat Anderson, Thomas Mayo, Tom Calma, Dale Agius, Pat Turner and Tony McAvoy, amongst others. These are the First Nations representatives that the government has been listening to and taking advice from.

This process has been chaired by Minister Linda Burney and the special envoy, Senator Dodson, as well as the assistant minister, Senator McCarthy. This has been a rigorous and comprehensive process. Some of the best legal minds in the country have been looking at this issue for several months now, people like the former High Court judge Justice Kenneth Hayne and constitutional experts Professor Twomey, Professor Williams and Cheryl Saunders. Australians can be confident that the work has been done to ensure that this is a voice that works. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Grogan, a second supplementary?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The gap has yet to be closed between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In fact, under the last 10 years of the coalition, inequality worsened between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Can you, Minister, explain how the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament will improve the lives of Indigenous Australians?

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

I thank Senator Grogan for the supplementary question. The life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can and should be better, and I think we heard everyone at that historic press conference yesterday express those remarks. The gaps in life expectancy and educational outcomes are unacceptable, and a voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians is a real chance to improve on these outcomes. It is perhaps the best opportunity we will ever have to address the injustices of the past and create change that will deliver a better future that will improve the lives of First Nations Australians on the ground in practical ways, like health, education and housing.

This isn't about more bureaucracy. This is about making sure that voices in remote and regional communities are heard, that the parliament is given that advice through First Nations voices so that we can improve on the policies that support— (Time expired)