LISA MILLAR, HOST: Let's get more on our top story. The first glimpse of the official yes and no campaign pitches is expected later today when the cases are posted online by the Australian Electoral Commission. Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy joins us now from Darwin. Senator, Good morning. How significant is this day?
NT SENATOR MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Incredibly significant, really. It's another step on an important journey for our country and I encourage all Australians to certainly have a look at the pamphlets when they come out, whether they're in your mailboxes. I know that the Australian Electoral Commission will put it online today, but this is about our country having a conversation.
MILLAR: What's the Yes campaign going to emphasize that it hopes will get voters across the line?
MCCARTHY: Our view is that this is a simple request, Lisa, to all Australians, a very generous one by First Nations people to have an advisory body or committee to the parliament in terms of policies and legislations that impact First Nations people.
MILLAR: I was struck by Anthony Albanese's comments yesterday afternoon when he said, conceding almost, that the argument from the Yes campaign needed to be stronger. What did you think of that?
MCCARTHY: Yes, I listened to the Prime Minister and I certainly sense the view across the country that the seeds of doubt from the 'no' side is seeping through. But look, I'm here in dry season country in the north. Everywhere I go there is such great optimism and optimism about the future, and what we can do to achieve a better country. In terms of a 'yes' outcome, if that's possible at the referendum, but we still have a way to go.
MILLAR: Queensland is going to be a critical state. I was up there on the weekend for an ABC Open day. I was talking to quite a few people over and over again. People said 'there are no details. I want to know more details'. Now that's one of the reasons that the No campaign is going to put on its pamphlet as one of the ten reasons to Vote No. Given that we may not know more details because it's going to go to Parliament, if the vote goes through, that's when things get thrashed out. How do you counter that argument from the no campaigners?
MCCARTHY: Quite simply, Lisa, that this is an advisory body, a committee that we're asking Australians to enable First Nations people to give advice around issues that impact us. You only have to look at the Closing the Gap figures, Lisa, that were released again last week by the Productivity Commission. I don't want our future Australians to have to keep dealing with low life expectancy, with the poor outcomes in education and health. I don't want that for our future Australians and I know that if we can vote yes we will make a significant difference in the lives for First Nations Australians in this country.
MILLAR: How much concern has been going on behind the scenes with you and your colleagues over the attacks against Thomas Mayo from the No campaign? Julian Leeser certainly in his speech yesterday was saying there's not going to be a person on the ballot paper. You're not voting for a person, so stop these attacks. But I just wonder whether they are actually starting to have a bit of an impact on you and your colleagues.
MCCARTHY: Well, Julian Leeser is a man of deep integrity in all of this, Lisa. And the fact that he's spoken so passionately shows the depth of that commitment to this movement and hope for a better Australia. What I would say to all Australians is this: watch both sides of the yes and no campaign and have a really good look at the behavior of both sides and have a good think about whether this is the future you want for our country. One of optimism and hope or one that's constantly negative.
MILLAR: The No campaign says 'it's risky, unknown, permanent, it will divide us'. And I should say also, we did ask many members who've spoken for the no campaign to come on the program this morning, but they declined. We're certainly trying to make sure Australians hear all the voices out there. And this is part of what this pamphlet is about. But what do you say to that 'risky, unknown, permanent?'
MCCARTHY: Well, we're about optimism and hope for the future, Lisa. And we know that going down the path of a referendum has its challenges anyway. We've seen that in the history of referendums in this country. But we have a firm belief and certainly as a Yanyuwa Garrawa woman from the Gulf country up here, I firmly do believe that Australians will see through all of that and take the steps that we need to take together to create a better country.
MILLAR: We're not going to date announced at Garma. That was the expectation. The Prime Minister has said that won't happen. He thinks a shorter campaign is better than a longer one. What do you think?
MCCARTHY: Well, that's always been the prime minister's decision on all this, Lisa. And I'm very conscious working beside beside Anthony Albanese that these are decisions that he makes when he thinks it's the right time to do it. For the rest of us, we continue our journey in trying to reach out to all Australians.
MILLAR: Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, great to have you on the program this morning.
MCCARTHY: Thanks, Lisa.