Anthony Albanese has been pressed to share his personal opinion on treaty and truth-telling after declining to recommit to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
The Prime Minister has distanced himself in recent days from the second components of the statement – truth and treaty – warning against expectations the next steps in Indigenous policy would be developed within days.
He has previously stated he wants to wait and was respecting the wishes of Indigenous leaders who have fallen silent as they grieve the Voice referendum result.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton revisited the issue on Wednesday in Question Time.
“Is it the Prime Minister‘s position that he doesn’t know if he personally supports Makarrata, treaty and truth-telling until he speaks with the referendum working group?” he asked.
Mr Albanese said the question suggested “opinion should happen in a vacuum”.
“What we have campaigned for, I said very clearly, was to listen to First Australians about matters that affect them,” he said.
“If those opposite think that we should not listen to Indigenous Australians about matters that affect them at all, then they should say so.
“Of course, we know that is the case.”
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley was next cab off the rank and put the first question to Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney.
“The Minister has previously stated the Makarrata commission is ‘really code for treaty without saying it’. Is the Minister still committed to treaty and truth-telling?” Ms Ley asked.
Ms Burney waved off the question and went on to read a list of remote areas with high Indigenous populations that returned a majority Yes vote.
“Our focus has always been on getting better results for Indigenous Australians. I think that is something that we all agree on,” Ms Burney said.
The Uluru Statement, signed in 2017, called for Voice, Truth, Treaty.
The government last year allocated funding to create a truth-telling mechanism, known as the Makarrata Commission, to be pursued after the referendum.
Later, Mr Albanese was asked if a member of the referendum working group ever suggested the poll should be be delayed beyond the October 14 date set by the government.
He told the chamber he received no such advice.
‘Disgusted’: Teal MP
Teal MP Zali Steggall took to X to slam Peter Dutton and Sussan Ley over their interrogation of Ms Burney
In a post on X, the independent MP said she was “absolutely disgusted” with the opposition leader and his colleagues.
“I am absolutely disgusted with Dutton, Ley & co as they continue to insult First Nations people with demeaning questions on possible next steps in reconciliation,” Ms Steggall wrote.
“Continuing to use our most disadvantaged to look for political points is just morally bankrupt.”
Rejoyce for Joyce
Former Qantas boss Alan Joyce won’t be forced to give more evidence to an ongoing flights inquiry after a motion to extend the probe was knocked down.
In a narrow defeat, the motion pushed by Nationals Senator Bridget Mckenzie heard 31 ayes in favour and 34 noes against, ushering an end to the Qatar flights saga.
Speaking on ABC, Senator Mckenzie said the Senate and Independent Senator David Pocock should change their minds to get Mr Joyce to “front up to legitimate questions.”
“The Senate has to change its mind, so David Pocock has to change his mind, the Labor Party has to change their mind, or the Greens, instead of running a protection racket again for the most wanted man in Australia,” she said.
Israel split deepens
A push led by the Greens to move the Senate to “opposes Israel’s invasion of Gaza” has been voted down.
After a heated debate, the majority of Senators moved into the chamber to oppose the motion.
In a heated speech, Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi blasted the governments “hypocrisy” and said Western powers should “hang their heads in shame.”
“Remove your colonial blinkers for one minute,” she said.
“Israel is a nuclear-colonial state armed to the teeth with billions of dollars in foreign aid.”
Labor Senator Glenn Sterle expressed outrage over the Greens motion and said the entire conflict was “devastating”.
“Shame on anyone who politicises this tragedy for their own childish political gains,” he said.
“Every life matters and we all shouldn’t forget that.”
PM urged to call for Israel-Gaza ceasefire
Earlier, Mr Albanese was urged to change course and call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Greens leader Adam Bandt made the call before the minor parties matter of urgency motion to have the Senate “oppose Israel’s invasion of Gaza” was voted down.
“One atrocity does not justify another. The Australian government now needs to lead an international push to stop the invasion and for a ceasefire and to have a just and lasting peace,” Mr Bandt said.
“Because otherwise more civilians are going to die.”
The Greens had unsuccessfully attempted, as they also tried in the lower house earlier this week, to amend the motion to condemn “war crimes perpetrated by the State of Israel”.
Mr Bandt said the urgency motion gave politicians “another chance to show their support for ending the invasion of Gaza and calling for an immediate ceasefire”.
The call for Australia to back a ceasefire came after a deadly blast at a hospital in Gaza City killed at least 500 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
Hamas blamed the blast on an Israeli air strike. Israeli military claim the hospital was hit by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group.
Mr Albanese said the scenes were “deeply distressing”.
“Every innocent life matters, whether they are Israeli or Palestinian,” he said.
“Our thoughts are with those killed, those injured, and their loved ones.
“The protection of civilian lives must come first, as the parliament said in its resolution that we carried on Monday, and respect for international humanitarian law is paramount.
“We condemn any indiscriminate attacks and targeting of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, and Australia joins with others in calling for international law to always be upheld.”
During senate question time, Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed the Prime Minister has yet to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I can confirm a call was sought on Sunday formally, we have yet not received or confirm a time to speak with the Israeli government which is perfectly understandable given the circumstances,” she said.
Following shouts from Greens Senators asking if Labor would condemn Israel, Senator Wong audibly signed and carefully stated that “Israel had a right to defend itself.”
“I continue to urge a mature, measured, bipartisan approach to these issues.”
“Every life matters.”
Jewish leaders condemn the Greens
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim has put the Greens on blast, labelling them “unfit for public office”.
“The Israeli ground operation in Gaza has not even begun, and the Greens are already condemning it. It is becoming increasingly clear that the appalling destruction of a Gaza hospital came from a misdirected rocket attack from Palestinian Islamic Jihad,” he told NCA NewsWire.
“Yet for the Greens, Israel is always presumed guilty until proven innocent. These so-called progressives have not even had the humanity to condemn the brutal murder last week of innocent Israelis, including babies, and the abominable degradation of Israeli hostages, without adding some miserable qualifier implying that it’s basically the fault of Israel.
“In the name of the quasi-religion that passes for the Greens’ ideology, they have chosen to take sides with theocrats, antisemites, misogynists and homophobes.
“They are utterly unfit for public office.”
Mr Bandt said the party “unequivocally condemned” Hamas’ attack on Israel and there was “no place” in Australia for anti-Semitism.
‘No rift’ in Teals over Israel: Daniels
An independent MP has downplayed suggestions of a rift after two Teals joined forces with the Greens to condemn Israel.
Sydney’s Sophie Scamps and Kylea Tink backed the Greens motion which unsuccessfully tried to amend a statement to condemn “war crimes perpetrated by the State of Israel, including the bombing of Palestinian civilians”.
The original motion, which had bipartisan support and was put by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, condemned Hamas and called for parliament to stand with Israel.
The Greens’ amendment was defeated 107 to seven. The motion was ultimately supported overwhelmingly, 134 votes to four, with only the Greens voting against it.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, Goldstein MP Zoe Daniel said it would have been “inconsistent” with her past comments to vote for the motion.
“The amendment that was put forward by the Greens was going to cancel out the section of the bipartisan motion that was put forward by the government and the opposition, saying that Israel had an inherent right to defend itself,” she told ABC Radio.
“And, you know, I mean, I’ve said repeatedly in this interview that I think Israel does have the right to defend itself within the parameters that I’ve mentioned.”
The foreign correspondent turned MP said the suggestion of a split between herself and her Teal colleagues had been overblown.
“I note Peter Dutton was running around yesterday suggesting that, you know, all the teals voted for this amendment, which wasn’t true,” she said.
“But also, there’s no rift among the teals and indeed, there can be a rift in a party that’s not a party. We’re independents. We vote according to the needs of our communities and our conscience.”
Australians warned to not delay as they flee Israel
Australians wanting to leave Israel have been warned to “take the first flight offered to you” amid a rapidly deteriorating situation.
There were tears and hugs at Sydney’s International Airport when the first flight, loaded with 222 people, landed on Tuesday.
Further flights will touch down in the days ahead, but the Australian government has paused its repatriation efforts.
Defence assets will stay in the region in case there is further need, but Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has urged Australians wanting to leave Israel to not hesitate.
“The situation in the Middle East is deteriorating rapidly. We are urging people, if you want to leave, leave,” she told Sunrise.
“If you and your family want to leave Israel, take the first flight that is offered to you and get back to Australia as quick as you can.”
Ms O’Neil said the government was focusing its efforts on the 46 Australians stuck in Gaza.
“We’re doing everything we can. We hope that we’ll be able to report back something positive,” she said.
There is currently no way out of the besieged strip with the Rafah crossing into Egypt closed.
Humanitarian aid cannot get into Palestine, and water, food and electricity is running low because of Israel’s blockade.
The situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating and a humanitarian crisis is afoot. A major hospital was hit on Tuesday (local time), leaving at least 500 people dead, according to reports.
At this stage, neither Israel or Hamas have taken responsibility for the strike.
Foreign minister Penny Wong says the protection of civilian lives “must come first”.
“The scenes from the explosion at a Gaza City hospital are deeply distressing. It is clear there has been a devastating loss of life,” she said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with those killed, those injured and their loved ones.
“The protection of civilian lives must come first and respect for international humanitarian law is paramount.
“We condemn any indiscriminate attacks and targeting of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals.”
Ms Daniels said if Israel was behind the attack, it amounted to a “war crime”.
“Protection of civilians is critical at a time of conflict and within the international rules of war,” she told ABC Radio.
“Israel has a right to self defence within these parameters, but we have to be careful that a sort of tit-for-tat escalation could be very, very difficult to rein in.”
Dutton led ‘Trumpian’ Voice campaign: Greens
Peter Dutton has been accused of leading a “Trumpian” like campaign in order to bring down the Voice referendum.
Greens leader Adam Bandt ripped into the Opposition Leader on Wednesday morning as he called for the government to not abandon a commitment to truth and treaty.
“People across Australia continue to hurt after the result of the referendum on the weekend,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“There is one thing that is crystal clear is that Peter Dutton led a Trumpian campaign of misinformation and we now need to bring the country together.
“And the process of truth telling will help.”
He said the federal government must act and called for them to fund a $250m truth and justice commission.
“The Uluru Statement from the Heart was clear that we need action on truth telling and on treaty. And that action needs to start now.”
Alan Joyce under fire for trip to Ireland
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has reaffirmed her determination to bring former Qantas boss Alan Joyce before the Senate.
Mr Joyce has spent the last six weeks in Ireland with family after leaving the national carrier.
He had been told that when he arrived back in Australia, he would need to appear before the senate inquiry probing the government’s decision to deny Qatar Airways’ bid to double its flight offerings to Australia.
He did not arrive back before the committee’s reporting period ended.
Senator McKenzie will move to reinstate the committee, so that Mr Joyce, and Transport Minister Catherine King can be summoned to appear.
Senator McKenzie told Sky News that Mr Joyce and Ms King needed to front up to answer “serious and legitimate questions” about whether Qantas had played a role in the government’s decision to block Qatar.
“All the crumbs of evidence that our inquiry has heard lead to only three people knowing why the protection racket for Qantas is being run, and that’s the Prime Minister, Minister King, and Alan Joyce,” she said.
“So today is a real test for the Labor Party, on whether they will continue to run a protection racket for him or ensure that the Australian people, through their senators, get a chance to really ask questions of the former CEO of Qantas.”
She said if Mr Joyce continued to dodge the Senate, there would be “serious penalties”.
“This guy needs to rock up,” she said.
“And Labor needs to allow the Senate to do its work, instead of continuing to run a protection racket.”
PM vows to strengthen ties with Fiji
Australia will sell 14 Bushmaster vehicles to Fiji and fast-track visa applications for visitors from the Pacific island.
Mr Albanese welcomed his Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka to Parliament House on Wednesday, where the leaders committed to further strengthening ties.
The two leaders signed a renewed, and elevated Vuvale Partnership – the Pacific word for “family” – with a specific aim at strengthening the economic and trade partnership, and tackling climate change.
“Both of us agree that Pacific unity is central to the relationships in our region,” Mr Albanese said in a joint press conference.
“Fiji plays a critical role.”
Mr Albanese said Australia would sell 14 Bushmasters to Fiji for their international peacekeeping operations.
The pair also signed a new memorandum of understanding on cyber security, to “tackle the rise of cyber security challenges in our region”.
Australia will also provide further budget support to Fiji to “help economic recovery and boost growth”.