JOURNALIST: To begin with, you've repeatedly said you are hopeful of success, but deep down do you accept it will be a miracle to win from here?
MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS, LINDA BURNEY: Our focus is laser like. We are laser like, on winning this referendum on the 14th of October. That's where the focus is. I will not be distracted by anything other than focusing on the 14th of October. The 14th of October is just four or five days away. We will be working every moment of every day leading up to, including working on Saturday.
JOURNALIST: Minister earlier today, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton used the success of East Arnhem Land under the leadership of the late Yunupingu, as an example of almost why the Voice wasn't needed. What's your response to that?
BURNEY: I am shocked at that statement. Yunupingu spent his entire life fighting for his people, fighting for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across this country and also advocating a Voice to Parliament. Quite frankly, Peter Dutton should apologise for taking the name of Yunupingu in vain. The idea that there isn't disadvantage in North East Arnhem Land is patently ridiculous. Peter Dutton has no right at all to use the name of Yunupingu in that way.
JOURNALIST: The Prime Minister says he won't legislate a voice if the referendum fails. Yet Peter Dutton would. Are you against the concept of a legislated Voice?
BURNEY: I don't think Peter Dutton knows what he stands for. We are focused on better outcomes. We are focused on recognising that Australia has an amazing story. We will not be distracted from that. The Yes campaign has run a positive, respectful campaign. That's how I'd like to see it for the rest of the rest of the week.
JOURNALIST: A follow on from that would be do you actually expect the Coalition to legislate a Voice in the future?
BURNEY: I am not a Coalition Minister. Minister Butler is not the Coalition. Scott is not the Coalition. Our focus is on the referendum and we will not be deterred from that.
JOURNALIST: If it does fail, a lot of people will be harmed. Will you continue to fight as Indigenous Australians minister, if Australians reject the referendum clause on Saturday?
BURNEY: There is an enormous amount of work to do in Indigenous Affairs. Scott here is involved in closing the gap. That is a major agenda. There is the reform of the Aboriginal community development program and the extraordinary work that Mr. Butler is leading in the health area. He spoke today about the discrepancy in health. I spoke about the discrepancy in life expectancy. There is much to do, and that work will continue in the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio.
JOURNALIST: Mr Butler, as Australians attention has turned to the Indigenous disadvantage gap, a theme that emerged online is this idea that a lot of money is spent in this area and if the outcomes are bad, that's because there's a problem with the system it needs to be audited, rather than have a Voice. What do you see is the problem between governments putting money on the table and outcomes? And why do you think the Voice is the solution to that problem?
MINISTER FOR HEALTH, MARK BUTLER: I've talked through the campaign I don't think anyone really can contest first of all the enormous gap in health outcomes and life expectancy. The fact that that gap, not only is not closing to any significant degree but actually is widening in a whole range of very important areas. Cancer death rates, for example, declined by 10 per cent last decade across the country, but climbed by 12 per cent for Indigenous Australians. That critical biggest killer of Australians, the gap is actually getting worse. Now there is terrific work being done by particularly Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations right across the country, largely driven and delivered by Indigenous health workers themselves. Community Controlled listening to community, but what we know is that some of the health challenges for Indigenous communities go well beyond a health response.
I've talked through this campaign about rheumatic heart disease, as has Minister Burney, Noel Pearson, and others. This is a condition unknown in the major cities largely eradicated from developed economies 50 or 60 years ago but seen in remote Indigenous communities at rates higher than anywhere else on the planet, even Sub Saharan Africa. The drivers of rheumatic heart disease go well beyond health. It is a disease of grinding poverty, of poor housing, of poor sanitation and environmental conditions. The Voice will be able to give us a joined up, a whole of community set of ideas about how to respond to this challenge that we've not being able to make serious inroads into for decades for Aboriginal communities. This is really the sort of path that we have before as if we're able to vote yes on Saturday. With the best of intentions, substantial investment, and really hard work by countless Aboriginal Health Workers, practitioners, and other health professionals, we have to admit the current approach just isn't working, we need a new approach. Now Indigenous leaders thought carefully about what that new approach would be, in the years leading into the Uluru Statement from the Heart. That matter is now before the Australian people. A vote for No means no new solutions, a vote for No means no new ways of closing the gap. A Vote for yes is about listening and finding those new solutions and new approaches.
SCOTT WILSON, SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY CONTROLLED ORGANISATION NETWORK CEO: Obviously, with the Coalition of the Peaks and closing the gap, question that you asked about more money on the table, clearly more money is needed. But if you have a look at the Lowitja Institute's report, 86 per cent of that funding was included in mainstream Australia as well. So, really the amount of money that the No campaign is saying needs to be audited is money that's available to every Australian anywhere. Unfortunately, Aboriginal people do suffer the most adverse health outcomes. As I said before, 34 per cent of life expectancy gaps and things like that are social determinants of health, which Minister Butler's spoken about. We need to make sure that a Yes vote is the only thing that will give the closer gap agenda, the teeth that it needs to hold governments to account and make sure that our Voice in Parliament is actually heard.
JOURNALIST: I just want to seek clarity on my last question. I asked you, if you're going continue to fight as Minister for Indigenous Australians. You said that there was a much work to still be done in that portfolio, but I just clarify, will you continue to serve as that Minister?
BURNEY: The future is about young women that want a future and understand the importance of this vote. I will continue to absolutely serve the people of this country. There is a very big agenda in Aboriginal Affairs. Thank you for your beautiful dance and your welcome. Thanks, everybody.