KIERAN GILBERT, HOST: Before we get to the Voice and the debate around the points Father Frank made. This really sad, horrific story out of Darwin. And in fact your colleague Linda Burney was there at the hotel when a 51 year old woman came for assistance. She'd been stabbed. She subsequently died. A number of Linda Burney's staff also tried to help. But Minister, it's another reminder, isn't it, of the stark reminder of the violence suffered by Indigenous women.
ASSISTANT MINISTER MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Good morning, Kieran, and good morning to your viewers. Yes, it certainly is. Yesterday was a terrible day, actually, in terms of so many thoughts and feelings for the family, but in particular, those who were there present on Friday evening and the hotel staff who did the best that they could, along with Minister Burney and her staff and, of course, the paramedics. But, yes, you're right. Again, it is a very real reminder of how many women we do lose in this country every week.
GILBERT: You've spoken in Parliament about the violence your own family has had to endure as well and to use that now. Can you explain to our viewers how do you believe the voice can change the situation on the ground for Australians in that situation?
MCCARTHY: It's a much, much broader position here. We've got to look at a life beyond the absolute utter despair and hopelessness that we experience around us in terms of our daily lives at the moment. And what the First Nations people did when they gathered at Anangu country at Uluru was to determine a direction that they believed in their hearts, that this generous request to all Australians to support them to rise above it is really the first important step for our country to recognize that unless First Nations people are fully involved at every level, then our sense of powerlessness for those communities, for families will continue to remain. And if I may just say to your viewers that this is also about our cultural sense of spirituality and respect, that this request is very simple. Because we know how tough it is on the ground. And I would say to Australians that the request is about opening your heart. And knowing that this could change our country so much for the better.
GILBERT: Peter Dutton has spent a large part of the week at Alice Springs and talking about the ongoing law and order crisis in central Australia. I know that the number of domestic violence presentations to the Alice Springs Hospital has declined since the alcohol bans were reinstated, but clearly still a lot of problems there. Can the Government make that argument through to those who might be swaying that where is the change going to show up in terms of the improved lives for Indigenous Australians on the ground?
MCCARTHY: I just came back from Alice Springs as well a couple of days ago, in fact, I think I flew back into Darwin the day that Peter Dutton arrived into Alice Springs and I've just been there for the Parrtjima festival which is an incredible festival of light by the Arrernte people on Arrernte country there in Mparntwe, and it's a festival that looks at the journey for First Nations people where the mountains are lit up by light and storytelling. And that gave so much hope. There were hundreds and hundreds of people who went to that festival there in Alice Springs. And so I spent some time also with obviously the mayor of Alice Springs to see where he was at, to have discussions around their recent decision to relocate the football games back out to communities and what kind of investment and support is required to follow that up, but also to speak to the AFL NT. Out football is a massive important part of life in Central Australia in particular, and we want to make sure that these concerns around the social issues are also balanced very clearly with hope and with enjoyment and with business. Now the Alice Springs businesses are closing their doors, so we have to see what we can do even more in that in that regard.
GILBERT: Marion Scrymgour, your Labor colleague, had a crack at the NT police minister, Kate Wroden and Kate Worden said it was a 'dog act' for Peter Dutton to be raising the issue of child sex abuse and to make suggestions that it is still rife. Marion Scrymgour says Kate Worden and her department need to do their work. There are way too many young people doing illegal things around Alice. Marion Scrymgour, you know her well. She lives and breathes that place every day of the week and she seemed to coming to the defense of Peter Dutton in raising these issues.
MCCARTHY: I do know Marion Scrymgour very well and have great respect for her. And I also know Kate Worden very well and have equally a great deal of respect for her, too. This is simply about showing that we've got to move beyond the political blame game and the political football that Alice Springs has become here. My direct question to Peter Dutton. And this wasn't about calling Mr. Dutton any names. It was simply that as a leader, please be responsible to report mandatory, any sexual abuse that you are aware of that's occurring to a child or to a child that's returning to an abuser that you know of. And I think we've got to be mindful that this is such a serious area. Any abuse of a child anywhere in this country or around the world is not on. And if you do know it here in the Northern Territory in particular, please report it.
GILBERT: Yeah, indeed. You said that to Peter Dutton, but it sounded from what Peter Dutton had said during the week, that he was told these stories by police themselves.
MCCARTHY: Well, we haven't heard, I certainly haven't heard from Peter Dutton directly in terms of my question to him. So I'd be interested to know if he would respond to that. Kieran, in the allegations that's been made, beyond whether he's heard it from police or social workers, it also inferred that he'd also had direct experience. So my question to him was, if you do, please, you should report it.
GILBERT: Now onto the issue of the voice you heard Father Frank Brennan. Others like Julian Leeser. These are people that want the voice to succeed. Should the government be open to tweaking the words here of the referendum and the amendment, like replacing the reference to executive government with ministers of the Commonwealth, as Father Frank has suggested?
MCCARTHY: It was good to hear your interview with Father Frank Brennan. And I do have again, have had many conversations with him and certainly enjoy his expertise and thoughts in this area. What we have to also recognize and I think he pointed it out in his interview with you, Kieran, is that this was just the first day of the committee hearing, and it was an important day to hear the different viewpoints or different sort of nuances, if you like, of people's interpretation of the wording. And I would say this to your listeners and viewers is you've got Senator Nita Green, who is the chair of this very important inquiry. And I know that the representatives on that inquiry will do what they can to find a pathway through, to report back to the parliament, as they should, as with any parliamentary inquiry.
GILBERT: While there are some experts who believe that the wording is already rock solid, we've heard that from the likes of Professor George Williams and others. There are doubts among certain experts like Father Frank. The last thing you'd want is for the voice to be the subject of repeated legal challenge if it does get up.
MCCARTHY: Well, again, as Father Frank rightly pointed out, this is the first opportunity for an open and transparent process on a national level. Obviously, we've had the First Nations working group and engagement group working on it. But now it's up to the Australian public to interrogate, if you like, the bill itself, but also the words that have been proposed in the bill. So let's take it one step at a time, I think it's really important that this process is followed through in a calm manner, in a respectful manner, so that we can debate it at the end of May, early June. And no doubt throughout that debate from parliamentarians on all sides, we will get to a position and I am very confident of this. I feel it very strongly. We walked this road for many decades. I feel it very strongly that we will get to a point where all Australians can be proud to walk together on this.
GILBERT: The opposition, though, as you know, it's going all out attack against the Voice. If the Liberal leader were to appoint Senator Jacinta Price, she would prove quite a powerful advocate for the no case. Does that concern you?
MCCARTHY: Well, I'll just have a look at your question first. I don't believe all liberals believe and backed that viewpoint and all conservatives. And I do reach out to them. I was pleased to see Julian Leeser stand earlier this week, obviously saddened for Ken Wyatt that he had to take the stand that he did. I know how loyal he has been to the party and the work he did as a previous minister on this. So I do know that there are Liberals within the Coalition party who want to support the voice and will do so, and I thank them for their courage in this and their support. And I would encourage them to keep going. In terms of who the next shadow minister would be. I think that was your question in regards to Senator Price. Well, clearly that's that's a decision for Peter Dutton and the Coalition to make and no doubt we'll be hearing that in coming hours or coming days.
GILBERT: Yeah, indeed. But if she's appointed the shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, you know, an Indigenous woman from Alice Springs argues that it needs to be more practical response on the ground. To the 'Yes' campaigners need to focus more, and I guess we finish where we began, on what that real world impact would be from the voice?
MCCARTHY: It is quite clear where my fellow senator from the Northern Territory stands on this. So there's no surprise. And whether she's elevated into the opposition ministry or shadow cabinet. That will clearly still be no surprise because we know what we're getting in terms of her position with the voice. I think what I'd say to all Australians is this: be watchful of the way people conduct themselves throughout this whole campaign. We've still got a long way to go. You know, 6 to 8 months still to go. And the message, if I may bring you back to the Uluru Statement from the Heart is a generous request, and it's one that is done with much love, much peace and hope and faith for the future.