PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: Yesterday the Reserve Bank pushed up interest rates for the eighth time this year to 3.1%. Katy Gallagher is the Minister for Finance and for Women, and she joins us this morning. Welcome back to Breakfast.

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE: Thanks for having me on Patricia.

KARVELAS: Rates have jumped from 0.1% to 3.1% in just seven months, it's been really fast - has the RBA moved too quickly?

Today, the Commonwealth Minister for Indigenous Australians and Ministers responsible for Indigenous Affairs from all States and Territories held a meeting in Hobart. The Australian Local Government Association also attended the meeting.

Ministers reiterated their support in-principle for the Australian Government’s work to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in the Constitution.

The Australian Government is investing $334 million in the future of First Nations children, with the delivery of more than 550 early years and education activities to 100,000 children and students.

The Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will announce the funding at a meeting of state and territory Ministers for Indigenous Affairs in Hobart, Tasmania on Tuesday 6 December, 2022.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Well, let's check in on the political week that's going to be said to be dominated again by energy prices in particular, exactly what the Federal Government is going to do on coal and gas. Joining us to spill the beans on that - Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman. And of course, did I segue, why that was such a good idea, whatever the Labor Government decides, as former Liberal Jason Falinski. Gentlemen, thanks again, Both, for your time. Both of you in Sydney today.

DAVID SPEERS, HOST: Linda Burney, welcome to the program.

LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Merry Christmas David.

DAVID SPEERS, HOST: And to you. Look, there's plenty of detail out there about how the Voice could work in the co-design final report from Professors Marcia Langton and Tom Calma produced in the last parliament. What we don't yet know is whether this is the model you would put to Parliament. Can you clarify that for us this morning?

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: This week caps off a year of achievement for the Albanese Government, which for us has only been six months. And, in that six months we've done more than, I would say, the Morrison Government were able to achieve in the entire time he was Prime Minister.

Today the Government introduced the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Bill 2022, to advance the Prime Minister’s commitment to hold a referendum to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in the Australian Constitution.

The Referendum Act is out of step with today’s electoral laws and does not reflect modern delivery and communications methods.

GREG JENNETT, HOST: Why don't we bring in our political panel? All for the day. And joining us, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman is back. Welcome, Pat. And Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds is here to once again making up a West Australian contingent. So why don't we start Patrick Gorman with the censure. We just heard Paul Fletcher and Linda will, I'm sure, argue that this was completely unnecessary and entirely politically motivated.

The Albanese Government welcomes today's long-awaited native title settlement in Far North Queensland.

At a hearing on country on Thursday Island, the Federal Court formally recognised the native title rights of the Ankamuthi, Gudang Yadhaykenu, Kaurareg, Kemer Kemer Meriam and Kulkalgal peoples over land and sea in northern Cape York and the Torres Strait region.

This significant Traditional Owner-led settlement resolves seven separate and overlapping native title claims and draws upon Indigenous knowledge systems from across the Torres Strait and Cape York regions.

The 2022 Closing the Gap Annual Report shows signs of mixed progress on Closing the Gap targets.

Targets improving or "on track":

• Babies born with a healthy birthweight (89.5%)
• Children enrolled in preschool (96.7%)

Targets worsening or "not on track":