THE HON MARK DREYFUS KC MP
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
CABINET SECRETARY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
THE HON SHARON CLAYDON MP
DEPUTY SPEAKER
MEMBER FOR NEWCASTLE
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
MEDIA CONFERENCE
CIVIC PARK, NEWCASTLE
FRIDAY, 10 MARCH 2023
SUBJECTS: Voice to Parliament; NSW State Election; Supercars; Live exports class action; Andrew Wilkie allegations.
DEPUTY SPEAKER SHARON CLAYDON: Good morning. It is terrific to be back on Awabakal country again, flying in from Canberra last night with the Attorney-General who will be joining us in Newcastle today to talk through a lot of the information around a very historic upcoming referendum. I'm very aware that there is a generation of Australians that have actually no idea what a referendum is but this one is probably one of the most important ones that Australia faces. We know that referendum is going to be in the latter part of this year and so we are hosting a community information session at the Conservatorium of Music this morning and looking forward to a big crowd. I'm going to hand across to our Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who is no stranger to Newcastle has stood beside me on many occasions here before, to talk a little further around the significance of this upcoming referendum. Over to Mark.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL MARK DREYFUS: Thanks very much, Sharon. It's great to be back in Newcastle and I'd thank the wonderful Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon, for inviting me with the University of Newcastle to do a forum today on The Voice to Parliament. We're going to be having a referendum later this year, the first referendum, as Sharon said, since 1999, and it's going to be a historic moment for Australia. It's a really important moment. It's one where all Australians will have the opportunity to amend our Constitution to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in our Constitution. As the Prime Minister has said many times now this is about two things. This referendum is about Recognition. Recognition of 65,000 years of prior occupation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in our country. And it's about consultation. It's about hearing from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders about policies and programs and laws which affect them. Because we know that when governments and parliaments listen, when governments and parliaments have the opportunity to hear the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people policies are improved, programs are improved and the laws that we make are improved.
JOURNALIST: Sharon, a question just about Newcastle in particular in the Hunter, what's the feedback so far from them on this issue? Do you get a bit of a feeling for how the vote may go here?
DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am very optimistic for the vote in Newcastle. Newcastle, of course, was the first city in Australia to fly the Aboriginal flag on a civic building under the Labor Lord Mayor Joy Cummings. We were one of the first local governments to sign the commitment under the Council of Aboriginal Reconciliation. We have a long and proud history of advocating for First Nations' rights in this city. And if the calls and contact into my office are anything to go by I expect the city will rally hard for a very strong yes vote in the upcoming referendum.
JOURNALIST: The Australian is reporting the Referendum Working Group rejected your attempt to weaken the proposed Voice to Parliament's power in the executive government. Is this the case?
ATTORNEY-GENERAL: I'm not going to be commenting on anything about what's been happening in the working group because those discussions are continuing. What I can say is that the Government will be bringing a Constitution Alteration Bill to the Parliament by the end of this month and that will end the speculation that we've had. That bill will be debated in the Australian Parliament and we're looking forward to the Constitution Alteration Bill passing both Houses of the Australian Parliament by the end of June. And it's going to be a great change for Australia, putting into the Constitution an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament which will strengthen our country.
JOURNALIST: There have been discussions about the wording of the Voice to Parliament proposal. Do you have any concerns with the wording?
ATTORNEY-GENERAL: The Prime Minister gave a historic speech on the 30th of July last year at the Garma Festival in northeast Arnhem Land. And in that historic speech he laid out some draft provisions of what the change to our Constitution might look like. The Prime Minister invited comments from anybody, which should be every Australian, but for anybody that wants to put forward suggestions as to how those draft provisions should be and can be improved. We're still getting towards the end of that process. Now, many people have made suggestions and we're looking forward to getting the final advice of the reference group that the Government has been working with of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. So it's a process that's been ongoing. And as I said a moment ago, by the end of this month, the Constitution Alteration Bill will be introduced to the Parliament and everyone will be able to see what words the Government is proposing to put in our Constitution that all Australians will get to vote on towards the end of this year.
JOURNALIST: Sharon, I just have a couple of Newcastle-based questions. The state election is not far away. Premier Dominic Perrottet, I believe, hasn't been to Newcastle for more than 500 days. They've only just announced their Liberal candidates for Charlestown and Port Stephens. What do you make of all this as the local Federal Member? What do you make of these decisions?
DEPUTY SPEAKER: Well like any Novocastrian I'm profoundly insulted. That, you know, we have a Premier that can't see fit to visit the strongest regional economy in his state. It's astonishing. It's inexcusable. And I think Novocastrians will see it for what it is and that is profound neglect.
JOURNALIST: Do you think that they've just given up with some of the electorates in that they've only just announced the candidates for Port Stephens, Charlestown, Lake Macquarie?
DEPUTY SPEAKER: Certainly, that's what the people of Newcastle are feeling. And that is a matter for the Liberal Party to comment on. But all of the signs suggest that they have little interest and little regard for our region, and they should be, you know. The ballot shall reflect that I am very sure.
JOURNALIST: What would you say to Mr. Perrottet about coming to Newcastle?
DEPUTY SPEAKER: He makes a grave mistake ignoring this region. You know, we have provided the state with really important sources of revenue for a very long time. There are significant issues that the city faces in the decades to come. We are working on great plans to ensure that that's a bright future for Newcastle, but to have a Premier that seems incapable of coming to the second largest city in his state is incomprehensible and unforgivable.
JOURNALIST: Just also Supercars. We can hear them in the background here. What are your thoughts as the Federal Member for Newcastle about Supercars? A lot of businesses say that they are losing thousands each week, and Eastern residents, obviously, experiencing disruption. Is it all worth it?
DEPUTY SPEAKER: It's true, I'm sure for motor sports fans, it's a terrific weekend and always good to see the city full of vibrancy. But I do think that if the powers that will be involved in negotiating any renewed contracts want to see some really good outcomes delivered, if that were to be the case, I'd be looking to ensure that vendors inside that track are locals. I'd be looking to ensure that businesses most impacted by this race that are sitting inside the track are adequately supported, properly supported. I'd also look for a lasting legacy piece of public amenity for the people of Newcastle.
JOURNALIST: Should we have it back again? Should it return?
DEPUTY SPEAKER: I don't get to sit at that negotiating table. But I just outlined three conditions that I would want to see inside any piece of negotiation.
JOURNALIST: Another question for the Attorney-General. How do you respond to the working group's allegations that the Government's advice has been continually provided at the last minute?
ATTORNEY-GENERAL: I'm not going to comment on what you've described there as working group allegations. I haven't heard those things. And I'm not going to comment on what's happened inside the working group. I know that it's been thus far, a very productive process. I'd refer you to the communiques that have been published by the working group. The Government's intention on setting up this working group was to receive the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. And we've been doing that, and that process is continuing.
JOURNALIST: When do you expect the class action with live cattle exporters to be settled?
ATTORNEY-GENERAL: There was a judgment, for your readers who may not know what that question relates to or for viewers who may not know what that question relates to, there was a judgment by the Federal Court some time back, now a couple of years ago, against the Commonwealth of Australia in relation to an issue arising from live cattle exports. The judgment of the Court said that the Commonwealth was liable, but did not assess the damages. Negotiations are continuing. Now that I'm the Attorney-General I have to pick up that task of continuing those negotiations on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia. And the negotiations are not yet completed. Because the matter is still before the court they'll have to go back before the court. I can't comment further.
JOURNALIST: Last one for me. Do you support an investigation by the ATO or ASIC into allegations aired in the Parliament about Hillsong?
ATTORNEY-GENERAL: These are what appear to be very serious allegations that were made in the Parliament by Mr. Wilkie, the Member for Clark in Tasmania, and I would urge Mr. Wilkie that if he has any allegations of that nature to make them to the appropriate authorities.
Thanks very much.
ENDS
