A constitutionally enshrined First Nations voice to parliament will be prioritised by the Albanese government over a treaty or truth telling commission.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said the government remained committed to delivering on its election pledge to take a voice to a referendum in its first term.
“We’re focusing on the voice and that that was the commitment that the prime minister made … and that is the path that we’re walking down,” he told ABC radio.
“It’s really important that we walk down a path where we are able to achieve success here.
“We believe we can do that in terms of a referendum … achieving the voice is our focus and that’s what we will be doing.”
The comments follow a story in the Nine papers on Tuesday, which reported the Greens are willing to support the voice to parliament in exchange for a treaty with Indigenous people and a truth telling commission.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt and Senate deputy leader Lidia Thorpe will negotiate with Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, according to Nine.
“Treaty will provide that mechanism for us to negotiate equal terms on how we can live together in the same country and celebrate us as well,” Greens Senator Thorpe told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Mr Marles, who is also the defence minister, said the government would need to publicly campaign to win over voters who weren’t sure what the voice was.
“We also do believe that the sentiment is there to make this change,” he said.
“We really feel that in having the proper campaign out there … this can be a really uplifting moment for the nation, a moment where we really do take a step forward in the growth of our nation.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed at the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory, the draft question that could be put to voters.
The proposed question is: “Do you support an alteration to the constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?”
