KATIE WOOLF, HOST: Now the Territory could have more senators as soon as the next federal election, as part of a new commitment to increase our political representation. So as you may or may not have heard, obviously, the National Labor Party agreed to this, well last weekend at their conference, addressing what they described as the historic proportional under-representation of the Northern Territory and the ACT at its national conference. And they also gave a commitment to give each jurisdiction more senators.

WALEED ALY, HOST: Senator, when the referendum was announced, it's worth remembering there was actually really, really strong support for the yes vote and that has since been lost. Why is that? 

OLIVER PETERSON, HOST: Joining me now from Melbourne today is the Labor Federal Member for Perth and the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman. Good afternoon.
 
PATRICK GORMAN MP, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE: Good afternoon, Oly. Good afternoon to your listeners.
 
PETERSON: How's the ASEAN summit?
 

OLIVER PETERSON, HOST: Joining me now from Melbourne today is the Labor Federal Member for Perth and the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman. Good afternoon.

PATRICK GORMAN MP, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE: Good afternoon, Oly. Good afternoon to your listeners.

PETERSON: How's the ASEAN summit?

It is my great pleasure to be with you for the State of the Service Roadshow in Canberra. Last week, we launched the roadshow in Perth. We had representatives from over 58 Australian Public Service agencies.

Today, staff from at least 79 agencies are joining us. And a special welcome to those joining us online across the country.

The forerunners to our current State of the Service Report stretch all the way back to Federation. Public Service Commissioner, Mr Duncan Clark or DC McLachlan was appointed in May 1902 and served until his retirement in May 1916.

The most entrenched problems in public policy and democracy can take very little time to create.

They might start with someone secretly swearing themselves into a portfolio or five.

Or a significant Centrelink debt being automatically, incorrectly created.

Or deciding that a high-risk government contract should be awarded without due diligence.

Or even deciding that a certain piece of public service work could just as easily be done by a contractor, rather than a public servant.

PETER STEFANOVIC, HOST: Well, there's been another slump in support for the voice to Parliament, according to the latest Newspoll data that's out this morning. Let's go to Canberra. Joining us live is the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy. Malarndirri, good to see you. Thanks for your time this morning. Yeah. Just on this new polling out now below 50% in every state. Is that a hard dose of reality after Garma? 

MICHAEL ROWLAND, HOST: Now, the Garma Festival enters its last day today as one of the country's biggest gathering on indigenous culture and politics. Over the weekend, the festival outlined how the voice to Parliament would work with young Indigenous people, focusing on how the decision, if the referendum passes, will affect them. The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, revealed the referendum will take place this year, firmly rejecting calls to either delay or even cancel it.

GREG JENNETT, HOST: Malarndirri McCarthy, always good to have you back on the program. Feels like a while with the winter break having just ended this week, you'll be heading back to the Garma Festival this weekend, a year after the Prime Minister laid down what was the essence of the proposal for the voice to Parliament referendum. We don't expect any date. In fact, we know we won't get a date from him this weekend. But should we expect him to put up further details about what will and won't be handled by the Voice? 

SARAH ABO, HOST: The prime minister has been accused of struggling to answer basic questions on a treaty with concerns support for his voice campaign is on the rocks... There seems to be a bit of confusion out there and the PM isn't providing much clarity. Even he seems to be getting a bit frustrated there's a lack of momentum around his campaign. What's the vibe like?