Indigenous Referendum Council

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:13): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Can the minister update the chamber—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: Am I asking the question? Are you right?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: Am I asking the question?

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Gazzola has the floor.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: Hear, hear!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Go.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Can the minister update the chamber about the referendum council that has just been established by the commonwealth government?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:13): Thanks. I thank the honourable member for his question and interest in this area. Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of a referendum council to advise the federal government on the progress towards a referendum to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian constitution. I know the federal opposition and certainly this government welcomes the establishment of this council and all the efforts to have our founding document for this country finally recognise our first Australians.

I think one of the most significant things in recent times that this council has done was in March with the passing of the Constitution (Recognition of Aboriginal Peoples) Amendment Bill in this chamber which formally amended the South Australian Constitution Act to recognise Aboriginal South Australians. I am pleased that South Australia is at the forefront once again when it comes to these important matters.

I welcome the appointment of the council this week, and the appointment of professors Patrick Dodson and Mark Leibler, who will be the co-chairs of the referendum council to progress the national reforms. The 16-member council are names that will be very familiar to a lot of people: Pat Anderson, Megan Davis, Andrew Demetriou, Murray Gleeson, Mick Gooda, Kristina Keneally, Jane McAloon, Michael Rose, Natasha Stott Despoja, Noel Pearson and Amanda Vanstone, amongst others.

I am also very pleased to say South Australia's own Tanya Hosch has been appointed. As many would be aware, Tanya Hosch has been joint campaign director for RECOGNISE for several years now and I am very pleased to see a South Australian of such calibre on this reform council. Tanya's strong South Australian voice will guide the significant national discussion that will now take place to hold consultations and community forums on how we can best recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our nation's founding document, as South Australia already did a couple of years ago.

I strongly support the work of the Referendum Council and I look forward to the national constitution following what South Australia has done. I endorse the progress that has happened to date, and I look forward to a referendum being held in the very near future.