ALLY LANGDON, HOST: Hello, I'm Ally Langdon. Welcome to A Current Affair. Some Australians know for sure, others still have no idea. The Voice referendum. Tonight, we give both sides the chance to have their final say. First, the Yes camp. Linda Burney, Minister for Indigenous Australians joins me on the desk. So nice to see you. You know what? You're almost there.
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Almost there and thank you so much for having me here tonight and it’s great to meet you.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: Do you think you've run a good campaign?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: I think we've run a great campaign. I am so inspired by the thousands of volunteers, many of them have never been in a campaign before. This is about bringing this country together. This is about making Australia a much better place, a great place. We are a great place now but even greater. It's about recognising something that we all should be so proud of - our history of 65,000 years. And Ally that your history, that's my history and it’s the history of the people watching tonight.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: And I think you have many people on board when it comes to recognition but the Voice is a sticking point, and the lack of detail has been a major criticism. How much has that seriously hurt the Yes campaign?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: The Voice is the vehicle for the recognition. And what the Voice will do is provide a vehicle, where Aboriginal people, from local communities that know what the issues are, that know what the solutions are, can have a direct say, make representations to Government and to Parliament about issues that directly affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: But you would understand Minister then a lot of the questions that come up around that, and obviously the detail will come in the legislation when it's drafted. But should you have had that ready too? So that when people ask, who will be at that table, how long will they be elected for? What will it actually do? You would've been able to answer them. And for many people, these are questions they need answered before they can write yes.
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: This is about the recognition of the whole history of Australia. And most importantly, and I know this is really important to your viewers tonight, getting better outcomes for Aboriginal people. It is not right that you and I have a life expectancy that's different. It's not right that suicide rates are twice as high. It's not right that babies are not born at a healthy birthweight and those things have to change in this country.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: I'm just not sure you’ve convinced everyone that the Voice is the right way of doing that. And what is sad to see, I think that the referendum has created kind of a hell of a mess. It's been a slanging match and I know people don't like that. Is there more division now than ever before?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Do you know I think that when people read the question and realise that it's simple. It's not going to affect in any way people watching us tonight. But it will make us a better unified country with better outcomes for Aboriginal people, and that is what we’re talking about.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST But respectfully, for six weeks, we’ve been hearing that, so where is the disconnect? Where that is not resonating with people, if you're looking at the polls and at the moment, the polls are overwhelmingly leaning no?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Well, I am remaining incredibly optimistic and I think that Australian people are good people. I think people understand that something has to change and we will wait and see what happens on Saturday. I have every faith in the Australian people. What you want for your children is the same as what Aboriginal people want for their children - to be safe, to be healthy, to have a good education and chances in life. And that's what this is about.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: And because all of those things are so important, should you have fought harder for bipartisan support before pressing ahead?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: The Prime Minister met with the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dutton, no less than seven times in terms of seeking bipartisan support. And you know this was a bipartisan issue for a very long time. It was Mr Dutton that decided to make this divisive. I cannot for the life of me Ally understand how better outcomes for Aboriginal people, how uniting this country is divisive. It is not divisive. It makes us a stronger, more united country than ever before.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: Here is the thing, you are so passionate this will make a difference and we have to do it and then you have Jacinta Price from the no side, who is just as passionate that this won't work. So who do we believe?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: I think it is important that Australians look at the question, realise what they're going to be voting on in just two days’ time - recognition and better outcomes. It is not about anything else except those two things.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: We have 11 Indigenous parliamentarians in Canberra, you are the Minister. Shouldn't you all be the Voice?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: There are 11 Aboriginal people in Canberra and how fabulous is that? All different parties, in the Senate and in the House of Representatives. But I'll give you a good example. Ken Wyatt, who is a very dear friend of mine, was the first Aboriginal person to be the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in Australia that he got voted out at the last election. What we're talking about with the Voice is an independent body enshrined in the Constitution that will provide advice to the Parliament on issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: If it’s no, the Prime Minister has said that’s the end. How do you just walk away from recognition in the constitution when it is something you are so passionate about and the one thing many from both sides, both camps, want and agree on?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: The Prime Minister, and I think it's the right thing to do and people like Noel Pearson have endorsed the position that we will not legislate if the Australian people say no. But that's not the end of Aboriginal affairs. I am the Minister in this country and I can assure you, I have a very full inbox.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: Doesn't a no vote come back on you though? You were so dogged, and your government, you were so dogged in combining recognition and the Voice, which is the bit that people don't understand and the reason why many are voting no.
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Recognition and Voice, and I'm really pleased you have raised that. This request has not come from politicians. This request has come from Aboriginal people that went through a very long process that culminated in 2017 at Uluru. It is a gracious request. It is a modest request and we have responded to what Aboriginal people have asked for.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: Do you acknowledge it's not looking great for the yes camp at this point?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: I remain optimistic and I will talk to as many people as possible over the next 48 hours, and let's see what the end result is on Saturday night.
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: Well we will know on Saturday, won't we? I know you really care and believe in this.
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: I do
ALLY LANGDON, HOST: And we thank you for being here.
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS Thank you so much and vote Yes, everyone!