Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney speaks out on changes in her speech

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has publicly acknowledged a discernible change in her speech, revealing she had heart surgery two years before the 2022 election.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has publicly acknowledged a discernible change in her speech, revealing she had heart surgery two years before the 2022 election.

The nation’s most senior Indigenous politician has maintained a gruelling pace to prepare for the referendum on the Indigenous voice to parliament, including by liaising with Anthony Albanese’s referendum working group to finalise the wording of the proposed constitutional amendment and by talking to Indigenous communities in every state, territory and the Torres Strait.

However, whispers about her health persisted as she struggled at times to enunciate words.

“My voice has changed,” she told ABC TV’s Kitchen Cabinet with Annabel Crabb. “What’s happened is I’ve had surgery that’s affected my voice.”

Ms Burney is expected to be prominent and active for the duration of the voice campaign. The next most senior Indigenous person in the Albanese government, Pat Dodson, is not well enough to campaign as he receives treatment for a serious illness.

Senator Dodson, 75, continues to travel between medical appointments in Perth and his home in Broome but the Indigenous special envoy for the voice has not been attending parliament.

The Australian has been told he expected to be able to join the voice campaign as referendum day approached and he was looking forward to that.

Ms Burney made remarks to Nine about her health indicating she had long been led to believe that surgery for a hole in her heart was the direct cause of her speech issues. However she said her neurologist and cardiologist last week told her that her speech issues “could very well be the result of the medication I have been put on after the heart surgery”.

In a statement to all media on Monday she said: “In May 2020, I was admitted to RPAH (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital) with transient weakness and numbness in my arm. I am pleased to say I made a full recovery. I subsequently had surgery on my heart and was treated with medication.

“I am fully focused on my job as minister and MP and don’t intend to speak about these personal health matters any further.”