‘Two-way process’: Burney’s Voice call

The scope of the Indigenous Voice to parliament will be a two-way process, Linda Burney has reiterated.

The Indigenous Australians Minister, on the back of her National Press Club address this week where she laid out the four major priorities of the Voice, said she had no doubt those elected to the body would also see them as prime concerns.

Ms Burney said health, education, housing and jobs were the biggest priorities, based on her 44 years of work in Aboriginal affairs.

Asked whether in her setting out the priorities it dissuaded the Voice from coming to government with its own concerns and representations, Ms Burney said it would work both ways.

She said that ultimately the relationship she wanted government to have with the Voice was a “two way process” and that the “scope should be a respectful discussion with the Voice”.

“(A relationship) of respect, one of listening to fresh ideas about intractable problems,” she told ABC’s Insiders.

“The relationship will be one based on trust, based on a two-way process, and I can assure people watching us this morning that the issues that the Voice will be focused on are the issues that worry people watching this show – the disparity – and that’s what we are going to be focusing on.”

She reiterated that the Voice was not just about advising the government, but was also advising the parliament.

“So if there is legislation coming through the parliament that directly affects Aboriginal people, the parliament could seek the views of the Voice,” she said.

Voice to parliament explained

When asked if – hypothetically – her department and her Voice were saying different things on an issue like birthing on country, MS Burney said she “would be listening to both”.

“And trying to make sure that what goes forward is what will work for Aboriginal young people … This is not complex,” she said.

Ms Burney was again asked, this time twice, whether the government would consider legislating a Voice to parliament if the referendum to enshrine it in the constitution failed at the polls later this year.

Ms Burney reiterated what she had told the Press Club earlier this week, that she has “enormous faith in the Australian people”.

“I don’t say that because I’m supposed to say it, I say it because I really believe it, and I believe that this will be a successful referendum,” she said.