Subjects: Indigenous Voice to Parliament; Easter.
E&OE
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Peter, good morning to you.
PETER DUTTON:
‘Morning, Karl.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
So, it’s a ‘no’ to the Voice. Is that because the Liberal Party has none at the moment?
PETER DUTTON:
Karl, I think Australians are starting to realise that this is a very significant change to our Constitution. It’s probably the biggest change proposed since the Federation and I think we’re talking about a system of changing our whole way of government and as a lot of Australians are realising, it may just be another bureaucracy that’s not going to help Indigenous Australians. So, we’ve said ‘yes’ to constitutional recognition, we believe that’s important. We do believe very strongly in a local and regional advisory body so that we can get the practical support to people on the ground. But what the PM’s doing at the moment is dividing our country and what we proposed yesterday, I think, is an opportunity to unite our country – and that’s exactly the decision we’ve taken.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
So, no Referendum has ever got up without bipartisan support. Are you worried at all that you might be effectively burying it?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, Karl, two points. I mean, firstly, my job is to do what’s in our country’s best interests and the Prime Minister won’t answer questions and this is a significant disruption to government. As the Voice itself has pointed out – the Referendum Working Group – they can have an influence into the Reserve Bank, into every aspect of government decision-making. This is not just about Indigenous communities. The second point is that there are plenty of referendums that have gone down, been voted down, even where both parties have supported it, and I believe very strongly we want to stand up for Australians. I’m advocating a ‘no’ vote because I don’t believe it’s in our country’s best interests and I don’t believe that it’s going to deliver the practical outcomes for people in regional and rural areas.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
The messaging is a little confusing. So, you’re rejecting a Canberra voice, but not a regional voice. Like a lot of other people, including John Farnham, ‘I’m just trying to understand it’.
PETER DUTTON:
I can’t see you, but did you say that with a straight face or not?
SARAH ABO:
What do you think?
PETER DUTTON:
I can’t hear you, Karl!
KARL STEFANOVIC:
No, it’s fine. Are you willing to negotiate or is it all done?
PETER DUTTON:
Karl, are you ok? We haven’t got on to the two foot Dagwood Dog yet. We’re here at the Royal Easter Show. I’m told…
KARL STEFANOVIC:
We’ll get there. We’ll get there.
PETER DUTTON:
Anyway, that’s a different story. Look, I mean, you know, on a serious note, everyone wants a better outcome for Indigenous Australians. I mean, you look at what the kids and women, the rates of domestic violence that we’re seeing in Alice Springs at the moment, it’s appalling, and you know, you’d sign up tomorrow to anything to resolve that situation. But what the PM is saying at the moment is, you know, ‘just vote for it on a vibe and I’ll tell you the detail afterwards…’
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Yeah.
PETER DUTTON:
…and I just don’t think Australians will support that. It’s our Constitution and you can’t pass a law that changes the Constitution. The Constitution overrides the Parliament and that’s why it’s important to know what it is we’re being asked to vote for, and at the moment the PM refuses to provide any of that detail. It’s just a Canberra-based voice that’s bureaucratic.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Are you willing to negotiate or is it all done?
PETER DUTTON:
Well, we’ve said yesterday we want to sit down with the government and the constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians is very important. But the Voice goes a step beyond what I think is realistic and what’s in our country’s best interest. So, happy to sit down. The Calma-Langton Report that the Prime Minister refers to actually recommended a local and regional advisory body before a national body, and as people in Indigenous communities have said to us, they just don’t want city-based academics who are pretending to represent their views. They want practical outcomes on the ground, and we want money being spent in a wise way to help people with housing and maternity services and birthing units and rehabilitation centres, etc. jobs. All of that is important, but I just don’t think the Prime Minister’s Canberra-based voice is going to deliver that.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Can you really afford resignations? I mean, there’s no one left.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, Karl, there’s always a spot for you! But look, in our Party, you know, 99 per cent of people support the position we’ve got. I know your spray off the top there about frontbenchers having to resign, but that’s the case in relation to every Bill…
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Yeah.
PETER DUTTON:
…If the Shadow Cabinet makes a decision, people have to abide by it, and that’s business as usual.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Ahead of Easter, what are you up to?
PETER DUTTON:
Mate, we’re here at Royal Easter Show this morning, back home to Brisbane and hopefully, I’m having a steak with a couple of mates of mine. So, maybe a longish lunch – not by your standards, nothing reported in the paper tomorrow, I hope…
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Wow!
PETER DUTTON:
…and I will have hopefully just a couple of days at home. Couple of days at home with Kirilly and the kids.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
All right, Pete.
PETER DUTTON:
Well, actually, no, we’re empty nesters. The kids have abandoned us. They’re out with friends…
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Well, stand by. You might be in the papers!
PETER DUTTON:
…so, just Kirilly and I and Ralph the Spoodle so I could be. So, a few days off. All good.
KARL STEFANOVIC:
Thanks, Pete. Enjoy. Happy Easter.
PETER DUTTON:
Thanks, mate. Cheers.
[ends]