The Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Attorney‑General and the Special Envoy for Reconciliation and the Implementation of the UluruStatement from the Heart met with the Referendum Working Group in Adelaide.

Adelaide was the city where the 1967 ‘Yes’ campaign was launched, and working group members reflected on the importance of the 1967 referendum campaign as a model for national unity ahead of the 2023 referendum.

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE:  Thanks very much for coming out today. It's great to be here with my friend and colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and of course, the Acting Premier of South Australia as well. It's been a week of big announcements, obviously, the Government announcing the optimal pathway for the AUKUS nuclear submarines. And, you know, the single biggest undertaking of our defence uplift, our investment in our national security and importantly, a huge role for South Australia.

RITA SAFFIOTI, WA MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT: Thank you very much. It's a great pleasure to be here to mark another milestone on this project, the Tonkin Gap Project, together with the Morley-Ellenbrook rail line. On Wednesday, the traffic will be shifted on to this new Broun Avenue Bridge. So this bridge together, with the bus interchange, is over 60 metres wide. I'm advised it's wider than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. So, what we've got is four lanes of traffic that we'll be opening up on Wednesday.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: All right, we are standing by to go to Patrick, Gorman and Jason. I alluded to the big subs announcement that is coming. We've got a bit of a technical issue with Patrick Gorman, so we'll start with Jason Falinski. And I guess that means I'm playing the role of Patrick Gorman and myself, Jason. Or maybe you want to play both roles. We'll see how the discussion goes.

[TECHNICAL ISSUES RESOLVED EIGHT MINUTES LATER]

ANDY PARK, HOST: In a historic moment, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Malarndirri McCarthy has become the first Indigenous Australian woman to deliver Australia's national statement to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York. The Australian delegation also includes the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar. Senator McCarthy is in New York. It's very late there now. She joins me on RN drive.

I'd like to begin by acknowledging the traditional lands of the Lenape people. I'm a Yanyuwa Garrawa woman from Borroloola, a small town in the Northern Territory of Australia. And I come here as Senator for the Northern Territory and as Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians and Indigenous Health.

Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians and Indigenous Health, Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy has created history today by being the first Indigenous Australian woman to deliver Australia’s National Statement to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

In delivering Australia’s National Statement, Senator McCarthy highlighted that gender equality is at the heart of the Australian Government’s vision for a better future.

The Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Attorney General and the Special Envoy for Reconciliation and the Implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart met with the Referendum Working Group at Parliament House in Canberra. 

The Working Group also met with the Foreign Minister, representing the Prime Minister.

The Working Group received an update on recent developments, including on the progress of the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Bill 2022. 

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: It has been a big week for Perth and a big week for Australia domestically and on the world stage. We saw the Prime Minister stop into Perth on his way to an incredibly important set of meetings in India, where we've already seen a very big announcement about recognising the need for students who study in Australia and India to be able to recognise their qualifications. That's great news for students of both countries.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Well, I spoke to the Minister for Women and Finance Katy Gallagher about how both issues fit into Budget sustainability.