If Parliament and the Australian people want to progress with constitutional recognition of first Australians the consultations have made clear that a voice to Parliament is not so much the best shot at it but that it is the only shot in the locker. [...] 65 Final Report of the Referendum Council APPENDIX E: QUALIFYING STATEMENT FROM AMANDA VANSTONE Parliamentary Control The report highlights that the details of the nature and scope of an indigenous voice to Parliament would be the province of Parliament. [...] 66 Final Report of the Referendum Council APPENDIX E: QUALIFYING STATEMENT FROM AMANDA VANSTONE The Task Ahead The task therefore is to find a version of an indigenous voice to parliament that will be acceptable to indigenous Australians and the parliament of the day. [...] That debate, the one that gets to the basics of what would be acceptable to both indigenous Australia and the Parliament should be had before a referendum is contemplated. [...] To recommend to proceed to a referendum whilst acknowledging that the shape et cetera is within the province of parliament seems to me to assume that we are close to that point and that agreement between the Parliament and indigenous Australians can be found.
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