National Voice to Parliament

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (14:24): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier advise the house on his position on the national Voice?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:24): I most certainly can, because I firmly believe there is a need for a national Voice to our federal parliament, just as I believe that there has been a need for a Voice to our South Australian parliament. I, for one, will do everything I can as Premier of this state to advocate for—

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia: How's the polling?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —a yes vote to our national parliament. I think there is a value to consistency of position—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The interjections between the member for Hartley and the member for Hurtle Vale will cease.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: I think when it comes to matters of principle, there is a value in consistency of position; there is a value in advocating for a cause regardless of what is occurring to the political wins of a particular moment in time. I am fervently of the view that a Voice to our parliament, at either a state or a federal level, can see to a greater degree of engagement with Aboriginal people regarding policies that affect them.

We have seen the tragic consequences, over many decades, of policies that are seeking to advance the interests of Aboriginal people but not having the effect that all have desired. All too often, that has been a function of a lack of engagement, a lack of them making a contribution to that public policy effort, which is why the Voice could be an exceptionally powerful tool to turn that around. I am not alone in this view. Not too recently, it was said in this place:

The national discussion about the needs for a First Nations' voice speaking to government and parliament has being gaining momentum, especially since the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2017. There is a clear call for government at all levels to better engage with Australia's First Nations peoples and to find ways to formally include their voice at the highest levels of decision-making.

Those, of course, were the words of the member for Dunstan back on 13 October 2021. They say that if you change the government, you change the country; it is also true that if you change the leader, you change the party.

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia: Watch them change Albo real quick.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: That position of the member for Dunstan—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —which I agree with, of course is very different to the lack of clarity of the position of the current Leader of the Opposition, who said on 19 January that, 'Clearly as a party, we see a need for such a vehicle in respect to a Voice.' He also said, 'In a broad sense, we're supportive of an engagement body.' Then in February he went on to say something very, very different indeed. He said, 'There was a real worry amongst members of parliament on my side of politics that this would be a third chamber competing with the lower and upper houses of parliament,' which we of course know is patently false.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Then on 20 April, the Leader of the Opposition said:

I suspect in the coming weeks I'll happily make a statement on how I'll vote because I think people would be interested to know what their alternate premier thinks on this, but I'm not quite at that point yet.

The Leader of the Opposition seems to be moving around all over the place in respect of the Voice, which is his prerogative—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Flinders!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —and he is entitled to adopt a position that he so chooses.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Schubert! Member for Hammond!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: But just so everyone in South Australia is clear, ever since the Uluru Statement from the Heart was established my position and my party's position has been to support that statement, to deliver it in a practical sense. That is why we delivered a Voice to Parliament in South Australia for the first time anywhere in the nation, and why on this side of politics we will be campaigning for the Voice when the referendum comes later this year.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Hartley has been consistently interjecting. One approach is to turn to 137A; another is to have him explain why it is he is dressed the way he is today. Member for Hartley, rise and address the house.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: If you mean my scarf, it is because MetroStars unfortunately beat Campbelltown on the weekend.

The SPEAKER: And you lost a bet. I call the member for Frome.