PETER STEFANOVIC, HOST: Well, less than two weeks out from the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, pre polling begins today for half the nation. The rest tomorrow, public holiday in place you see. Well, joining us live, the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy. Malarndirri, good to see you. Thanks for your time this morning. So, yeah, it is a big day for several states of this referendum. Tomorrow for the rest.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: With just 23 days to go now until the voice referendum, it has been a slightly better week for the Yes campaign in terms of some of the headlines they've been getting following major rallies over the weekend. Let's bring in the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy who joins me live from Adelaide. Thanks for your time. Does it feel like sort of the first positive week in terms of media response, in particular for The Voice for a while?

The Assistant Minister for the Public Service, the Hon Patrick Gorman MP, will today launch the Trust and Satisfaction in Australian Democracy Survey Report.

Australia signed the Luxembourg Declaration on Building Trust and Reinforcing Democracy in November 2022.

The Australian Public Service Commission then launched a survey in June 2023 to deepen the understanding of public sentiment towards democracy.

A nationally representative sample of 6000 people participated in the Survey and helped paint a picture of democracy in Australia.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Senator, thanks for your time. We've gone from the sort of theoretical to the practical on the debate over The Voice, and Linda Burney outlined a couple of examples of what she thinks the voice could do. What's an example of a policy fix you think the voice would be well-placed to do?

NOUR HAYDAR, HOST: As campaigning around the voice to parliament ramps up. One no group is facing criticism for for an ad it had published in a national newspaper. The cartoon by advance Australia has drawn condemnation from both sides of politics for its depiction of prominent yes campaigner Thomas Mayo. One state liberal described it as a 'racist trope from the Jim Crow era'. The target of the ad was one of Australia's largest companies, Wesfarmers, which has thrown its weight behind the voice.

NATALIE BARR, HOST: In the past year, rising interest rates have been blamed on a number of factors from inflation, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and an unstable global economy. However, the coalition believes there is a simpler explanation. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, backed by Nationals leader David Littleproud claims the Prime Minister has taken his eye off the economic ball due to his obsession with the voice. Joining me to discuss this is Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy...

EMMA REBELATTO, HOST: Well, Linda Burney has slammed the no campaign tactics ahead of the upcoming referendum on the voice to parliament. In a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra, the Minister for Indigenous Australians criticized the use of what she called Trump style politics, arguing a yes vote shows devotion to Australia while highlighting key areas such as health, housing, employment and education. Where real change can be made. Assistant Minister Malarndirri McCarthy joins us now from Darwin. Senator, good morning. Thanks for joining us.

ASSISTANT MINISTER MCCARTHY: Thank you for joining us this morning. It's wonderful to be able to have our federal minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O'Connor, here with us on Larrakia Country. And I'd like to acknowledge also that we had the Northern Territory Government Minister here, Paul Kirby and the member for Solomon Luke Gosling. Today, I'd like to acknowledge that it is NAIDOC Week. A beautiful week in the Australian calendar but also a time to acknowledge our elders.

SARAH ABO: Well, hopes are fading for a better culture at Parliament House as we continue to see both sides of politics accuse each other of using serious assault allegations for political purposes. Joining us to discuss today's headlines is Northern Territory Senator Malarndirri McCarthy in Canberra and editor of the Sunday Mail and Saturday Courier-Mail, Anna Caldwell in Brisbane. Thank you both so much for your time. Malarndirri, I want to start with you, if I could.

PAUL SERRATORE, HOST: Well if you've ever tried to book a doctor's appointment at short notice, you'll know just how impossible it can be. So, it's no surprise that when a medical incident suddenly happens, whether it's a child with high fever and vomiting or you've broken your arm or your leg, then your first course of action might be get in the car, drive to ED.