Prime Minister hopes for bipartisan support on Indigenous Voice to Parliament

The Prime Minister has pushed back on criticism that an Indigenous Voice to Parliament is ‘symbolism’, saying such a step would allow First Nations people to be consulted on key issues.

ANTHONY Albanese has said he is “very hopeful” of a bipartisan deal on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament with the Liberals led by Peter Dutton and pushed back on claims the new body was only “symbolic”.

Recognition of the Uluru Statement of the Heart has been revived after Labor’s election win last month, despite concerns the Coalition wouldn’t back the push.

Mr Dutton has recently acknowledged his decision to walk out of the Stolen Generations Apology was the wrong choice, attempting to justify it by recounting his experience working as a police officer.

Speaking in Darwin on Wednesday, Mr Albanese compared the step of enshrining Indigenous Australians in the Constitution to the Stolen Generations Apology and vowed to reach across the political divide to make it happen.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a press conference in Darwin in the morning after returning from Indonesia. Picture: Glenn Campbell/NCANEWSWIRE

“When it happens, people will wonder why it hadn’t happened earlier,” he said.

“I want to bring people together and what we know is that this will be just like the apology to the Stolen Generations.”

Mr Albanese said enshrining a voice to parliament was “good manners”, saying First Nations people needed to be consulted on issues that affected them.

“It’s put as if this is just symbolic, and there’s a difference between practical recognition and symbolism – the two are connected,” he said.

“If you don’t give respect to people, then you won’t be able to close the gap in health, education, in housing and life expectancy, in all those issues in which we need to do that practical work.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Darwin, flanked by Malarndirri McCarthy, Marion Scrymgour, Luke Gosling and NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles. Picture: Glenn Campbell/NCANEWSWIRE

There is still no concrete timeline as to when an Indigenous Voice to Parliament will happen.

Labor has previously indicated it will need to consult widely, work to gain support on the issue within parliament and work on drafting a question for a referendum.

Changes to the constitution require a referendum be put to the Australian people and the wording of the question can be key to determining whether it will succeed or not.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney previously said it would take at least 12 months to build consensus around the issue.

Mr Albanese spoke on Wednesday flanked by Indigenous Territorians Marion Scrymgour and Malarndirri McCarthy, both of whom will represent the Territory in federal parliament.