Fiery moment, Anthony Albanese asks ‘bizarre’ question about Aboriginal sound and points to bizarre NRL signal – before warning: ‘I’m not going to be quiet’
- He questioned the prime minister about how the indigenous voice works in parliament
- If people wanted to ask about an NRL selection, he said dismissively, they could
- He became cranky of the reporter asking if he was open to changing the constitutional wording
A furious Anthony Albanese dismissed concerns about the Aboriginal vote to Parliament with a bizarre gesture in the NRL in a firefight.
The prime minister had been taking questions about his government’s climate policy but found himself being asked how the proposed advisory body would work.
Mr Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton disagree over the wording of the constitutional amendment due to be put to a referendum this year.
Critics of The Voice argued that it was too vague and could lead to a legal dispute that would hinder the government, and did not explain how it would work.
The prime minister was first asked if the Greens would be able to consult Indigenous voices on climate policy, such as the bill being voted on in Parliament today.
He responded, “Of all the very strange questions I’ve been asked about sound, this one is there.”
Mr Albanese reiterated that the purpose of The Voice was to obtain advice on issues directly affecting Indigenous Australians, and anything else were merely “distractions”.
“But they can if they want, they can ask all sorts of things, about whether he’d give advice on who should play the five-eighths for Souths (NRL) side this week, but that’s not what it’s about,” he said. .
The Voice is not about defense policy. It is not about foreign affairs policy, nor is it about these issues.
After two questions, the prime minister began to explain his comments at the National Press Club on February 22.
He was asked if he was open to amending the wording of the constitutional amendment, as he indicated at the Press Club — which Mr Albanese said he had not.
I’m not going to talk about what you said. What I said at the National Press Club was very clear.
Albanese said he first released the draft wording at the Jarma Festival last July and it was now March and he was ready to present the final wording to Parliament.
He claimed that neither Mr. Dutton nor anyone else in Parliament had come up with an alternative language in all that time.
A furious Anthony Albanese dismissed concerns about the Aboriginal vote to Parliament with a bizarre reference to the NRL in the firefight
Another bizarre exchange soon followed when the prime minister was asked if issuing confidential advice from Solicitor General Stephen Donaggio would help secure the support of the Liberal Party.
There are questions about whether the advice expresses concerns about the wording, but it has never been made public. Dr. Donaggio, Albanese insists, is supportive.
‘Are you telling me it’s your point? We’ll do two ways here. Are you telling me that your point is that if we issued this advice, they would change their position? Mr. Albanese answered.
The reporter explained that he was only asking about a hypothesis and that Mr. Albanese used it as an excuse to storm out to Mr. Dutton over his lack of support for The Voice.
I ask you if I, do you think there is any sign that at any of the times Peter Dutton was asked about the vote of Parliament there was any sign, other than that it undermines support for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? ‘ He said.
I’m waiting for it. I’ve had seven interviews with him. He met with the Referendum Working Group.
There are no marks, and he was a member of a government that did not submit any ministerial papers or advice to the cabinet in the nine years he was a member of the cabinet.
The referendum legislation and the constitutional amendment formula will be presented to parliament on Thursday.
