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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-10-17 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Uluru Statement from the Heart

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:06): My question is to the Premier. Is the government committed to the implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart in South Australia? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: In July 2019, the Labor Party committed to a state-based implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart that includes Voice, Treaty, Truth. Over the weekend, 64 per cent of South Australians did not support the alteration of the Australian constitution to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:07): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. The South Australian people made clear on the weekend in a significant majority that they are opposed to an alteration to the Australian constitution, as the Leader of the Opposition has identified. That is a result that speaks to a degree of consistency around the relative caution that Australians have had towards changing the constitution.

I think most Australians accept that we live in an exceptional country with some proud traditions and that we are well served by the Australian constitution, so they are naturally wary about any alterations to it. Obviously, I was supporting the yes campaign and have been supportive of a Voice in our federal parliament enshrined in the constitution, but the Australian people have rejected that proposition overwhelmingly and I and my party overwhelmingly accept the determination that has been made not just by South Australians but I think by the citizens of every state around the country.

In respect of the legislated Voice to Parliament, which of course is very different in nature to the constitutionally enshrined Voice, yes, that is government policy. As the Leader of the Opposition is obviously well aware, that legislation passed our parliament earlier this year. It's a proposition of having a legislated Voice to Parliament that has had bipartisan support in the past.

As recently as last year, of course, the shadow minister for Aboriginal affairs introduced legislation for a state-based legislated Voice to Parliament. It was different in its construct to what we now have in the state as a matter of law, but there was that unanimity of opinion across the political divide that we should have a state-based Voice to Parliament.

That position subsequently changed, which I could go into in great detail about if those opposite would like, but one thing I do note was a reference made by Senator Liddle in today's Advertiser, or I understand it was reported at least online last night, but I think it is in today's 'Tiser as well. She quite rightly said, and I quote:

The difference between the proposed, now-defeated Voice proposition and the SA Voice is that the SA Voice is legislated, not enshrined within the constitution.

And I could not agree more. It is a statement of the obvious truth. So we will maintain the policy proposition.

I think that what is clear to me—particularly on the back of the results of the weekend—is that the state-based Voice now has a test before it. The state-based Voice has an opportunity before it, an opportunity, once it is up and running and established in this place when it makes its representation, for it to have a positive impact on the policy development around Indigenous affairs in our state.

There is, I think, consistency between all members in this parliament about a desire to close the gap, to improve the abhorrent state of Indigenous disadvantage. The Voice will have an opportunity to contribute to policy development that seeks to address that. That's an opportunity that we look forward to and it's one that I hope only enhances the deliberations of this parliament not just in the years ahead but hopefully for the years beyond that as well.

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