Federal Voice to Parliament Referendum

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:45): Supplementary: does the Attorney-General view the result at the weekend as a repudiation and rejection of Indigenous Australians?

There being a disturbance in the gallery.

The PRESIDENT: Again, can we please be quiet in the gallery.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for his question. No, I don't. I see this, as I said, as the 37^th time out of 45 attempts that Australians have not wanted to change the constitution. However, I do completely understand how many people do feel that, how many people do feel that the 97 per cent of non-Aboriginal Australians have voted and passed judgement on them. I understand that feeling. I absolutely do; however, this is, in my view, merely Australia's conservative aversion to changing the constitution.