Linda Burney wants Turnbull to prioritise question for constitutional referendum

Linda Burney, the first indigenous woman elected to the lower house, has pushed the PM on constitutional reform.

Indigenous MP Linda Burney has urged the Prime Minister to act on constitutional reform.

Labor‘s Linda Burney, the first indigenous woman elected to the House of Representatives, has urged Malcolm Turnbull to prioritise constitutional recognition or risk endangering the chances of a successful referendum.

Delivering the annual lecture in political science and international studies at the University of Queensland last night, Ms Burney said the opposition was waiting to hear back from the Prime Minister about Labor’s proposal to establish a parliamentary committee to help finalise a referendum question and constitutional amendment.

Ms Burney, the opposition spokeswoman for human services, said a parliamentary committee should look at the recommendation from the Referendum Council to establish an “indigenous voice to parliament” and build support for change by refining its design and function. A process of engagement with indigenous and non-indigenous Australians would be needed to thrash out finer details of the constitutional shake-up.

Ms Burney said the urgency of the task was heightened by a number of obstacles to change, including the need to build a clear and coherent case for reform that could win the broad support of Australians.

In a draft of her speech, Ms Burney noted the chances of success were contingent on two factors — a “clarity of vision”, in terms of what was being proposed, as well as a “clarity of purpose” which explained what the change would mean for Australia. A failed referendum would have “grave and lasting consequences” and delay constitutional recognition for generations. Ms Burney argued it would be unlikely for the question to be ever put to a referendum again.