Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Gallagher. Minister, the latest edition of the Northern Land Council's Land Rights News publication includes an eight-page bumper spread on the Voice to Parliament, a full-page unauthorised ad and four pages of the minister's recent Press Club address verbatim. There is no mention of the arguments against the Voice. Is it appropriate for a taxpayer-funded land council to be doing this?

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

To begin with, I'm not aware of the publication that Senator Liddle outlined in her question nor the material as it has been presented, so I think, in the first instance, before being in a position to answer, I would want to see that. I don't think it's unusual that there would be discussion about the Voice over the next few months as we lead up to the referendum. Across this country, I think there will be quite a number of articles written in quite a number of publications as organisations seek to get information out about the Voice and, if they are supporting the Voice, why they are supporting the Voice.

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

Do you rise on a point of order, Senator Liddle?

Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, it is a point of order. While I appreciate the response in relation to not having seen it, the question does go to whether it is a reasonable representation to just present the yes case.

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

The minister is being relevant to your question. Minister, have you finished your answer?

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

I was just going to say that we would want to see that publication before I am in a position to answer the question comprehensively. But I don't think it is unusual that organisations will have a view on the referendum and that they would seek to outline some of the reasons why they have that view. I don't think that is unusual. If there is anything further I can provide, or if that publication that you quote from can be provided, I am happy to come back to the senator.

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

Senator Liddle, a first supplementary?

Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, in the community of Ngukurr, traditional owners are living in squalor, their houses are overcrowded and in urgent need of maintenance and repair. They have also been lobbying the NLC to focus on their issues. Is that the role of the Northern Land Council to help them? But why is the NLC not listening to their voices?

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

(—) (): I don't accept that they are not listening to the local community. There is a difference of opinion across the chamber, as we understand it, between the view that you have around the Voice and the view that we have. We believe the Voice is part of the solution to ensuring that the voices of local communities are heard and that local communities have a say in response to some of the challenges that local communities face and in response to some of the priorities that those communities would seek to have the government's and other organisation's attention paid to. This is fundamental to the request through the Uluru Statement from the Heart about having a Voice, about constitutional recognition and a permanent voice that is able to provide advice that listens to the voices of local communities and is able to provide that to government. It is exactly why we believe it is an important change to get through. (Time expired)

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

Senator Liddle, a second supplementary?

Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The ANAO found Central Land Council's fraud control arrangements fall short of the minimum requirements established in the fraud rule. Members on this side of the chamber are united in forcing an inquiry into the conduct of the land councils and other organisations. Why won't the government shed light on those publicly funded organisations, support our inquiry and give people a voice?

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

The government believes that land councils play an important leadership role in Aboriginal communities, that they work in the interests of their members and play a critical role in supporting economic development in some of the most remote areas of the country. The ANAO has undertaken its scheduled performance audits of the four Northern Territory land councils. The governance of the Tiwi Land Council, the Central Land Council have already been presented to parliament. The report on the Northern Land Council is expected sometime in August this year. The minister has asked the NIAA to work closely with those land councils to progress the implementation of relevant recommendations as a priority, as is standard practice when ANAO releases a report with recommendations across government. That is the way we implement those recommendations.