GREG JENNETT, HOST: Malarndirri McCarthy Can I take you to Linda Burney's remarks which we've quoted there? "There will be a voice, not to the government but to the parliament". Is there a significance in that construction that she said on the Party Room podcast?
NT SENATOR MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Well, we only have to look at the Uluru statement from the heart, Greg. This has always been a journey and a request about a Voice to the Parliament. And as the Prime Minister says, this is an ongoing process. We are going to introduce legislation into the Australian Parliament in March and politicians and Australians will have an opportunity to respond and all of that will certainly become clearer because we're all on this process of the journey.
JENNETT: There is an argument, I don't want to over characterise it, but a discussion maybe within the working group isn't there, around references to executive government? Is that close to settlement or can you take us in any way respecting the confidence of the room? But can you take us in any way to what that discussion is about?
MCCARTHY: Well, like any working group, it's made up of individuals, 20 of them in fact. And then you have a referendum engagement group of 60 individuals and organisations. So naturally there is going to be a differing views on all sorts of things. And this was the whole purpose of establishing both those working groups and also the the legal expert group so that they could advise Linda Burney, Pat Dodson, Mark Dreyfus, myself and the Prime Minister. So that's quite a natural process. And of course once we go to the Parliament with a piece of legislation, it will be very clear in that legislation as to what the working group have advised us.
JENNETT: Is there any hesitancy in your own mind, Senator, around the use of the words executive government? The reason being, as I understand it, that by including that, it might be targeted by legally minded critics, but in the future it might also send voice matters to the courts.
MCCARTHY: Well, this is a time to have those discussions, get the legal advice, listen to all sorts of opinions and obviously the legal experts. This is what this time is about, Greg. It isn't about making a decision without that. And I think Australians have to be alert to the fact that this process is about including all of that conversation. And as I said, once we go to the Parliament with the piece of legislation, it will be very clear where the working group have landed and what they have advised the Prime Minister.
JENNETT: What is it that lies beyond that? Because the Prime Minister today at the Press Club, did hold out an openness to provide further detail. I took it to be beyond the tabling of the legislation, you know, to try and hold this show together. Is it clear to you what he was referring to?
MCCARTHY: Well, I did hear part of the conversation that you played, and the prime minister made reference to the legislation being introduced, debated, and then going out to Australians in terms of a parliamentary committee, which then enables Australians across the country to respond to that piece of legislation. So my understanding of that is that it's about being open and transparent on the journey about what these processes and enabling Australians to have input.
JENNETT: Are are you alarmed at all when you see people like veteran journalist Paul Kelly, editor at large in The Australian? Father Frank Brennan is another, I know Greg Craven has written in this area. Paul Kelly writing today, "Six months is long enough. It's time to call this failure out. The public has been assailed by tricks and slogans, with Albanese exploiting goodwill." I'm not necessarily asking you to respond to all of these three individuals, but do you see a momentum of criticism or negativity building around this, ostensibly among people who would support or do support a voice?
MCCARTHY: Well, there's no doubt that this has been a challenge from the get go. I mean, the statistics, as we've always said, Greg, are pretty tough. You know, 8 out of 44 for referendum to win. We know this is a huge mountain to climb, but there is a firm belief and a fundamental sense of hope that carries the rest of Australians that a lot of the commentators just do not see. And when I travel around and when I talk to town hall meetings, when I engage directly with First Nations people, whether through the working group or just individually, there is a great deal of interest to want to know more. And so, no, I'm not alarmed. I just see this as democracy in action. Clearly, those of us who support the voice and ask people to vote yes have to be very, very clear about what it is we are asking and what we're doing. And that's my role here in the Northern Territory.
JENNETT: And how is that manifested this week? It's called a Week of Action, Malarndirri McCarthy, what are you doing? And we're going to talk to Dean Parkin in a moment, by the way, but what are you doing in your part of the world and how's that being met from the people?
MCCARTHY: Absolutely. Well, I've been able to have some online forums and certainly even was able to do that with people in Tasmania, where I think around close to 200 people joined myself and Thomas Mayo on that. And here in the Northern Territory, just in Darwin, I've been able to speak to people at forums here and I'm looking forward to travelling the country to do more this week, but also over the coming months.
JENNETT: And is the key to this unlocking those local community campaigns and awareness activities? I mean there is a limit, isn't there, to what humble politicians like yourself can do to get this across the line.
MCCARTHY: Absolutely. And I'm so conscious as is Linda and Pat and my colleagues in the caucus that this is a people's movement. It will be the Australian people who determine whether it's yes or no. And ultimately, my firm belief is that Australians will see that this is the way to go. This is our hope for the future.
JENNETT: Well, either way, we're certainly in the countdown to further details coming coming forward, the working group of which you're a member close to wrapping up its recommendations. Plenty for us to keep across with you, Malarndirri McCarthy. And plenty of time left in the day for you to go and continue more week of action activities. Thanks for joining us on the program.