Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
The Bolt Report
Topics: the Voice, Northern Australia Aboriginal Justice Agency
4 October 2023
E&OE.
Andrew Bolt
Joining me is the Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash. Michaelia, it’s great to see you again. Listen, the Auditor General, there’s just going to be no government probe of the fraud and corruption claims of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency. You asked for this to be audited. Even though the Albanese Government gives that agency more than $16 million a year, that’s a lot of money. Should there be an audit?
Senator Cash
Absolutely, and isn’t it refreshing though as well to have Peter Dutton as the alternative prime minister of this country, and Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as the alternative Minister for Indigenous Australians, for the first time standing up and saying, if we get elected to government, Andrew, we will demand accountability. There are billions and billions of dollars that funnel out of Canberra each year, whether it’s to states, whether it’s to territories, whether it’s to service providers, and by the time it gets to rural, remote and regional Australia and indigenous communities on the ground, it is but a trickle. And the live example we have at the moment is just that – the North Australia Aboriginal Justice Agency. The Auditor-General has said, despite me writing to them, despite the Australian newspaper raising serious allegations, which have been denied, of both corrupt and criminal behavior, they’ve spoken to the Attorney-General’s Department, and they have decided not to commence an audit. That is incredibly disappointing. The first question I want to know, Andrew, though, is this. What did Attorney-General Dreyfus or his department actually say to the Auditor-General, that they have now decided not to conduct an audit? Australians need answers. This is taxpayers money. We have serious allegations of both corrupt and criminal behavior. Yes, they are denied. But we need to ensure that this is taxpayers money that is being spent appropriately and delivering to those Indigenous Australians on the ground in northern Australia.
Andrew Bolt
$16 million a year. You wonder what they’re spending on even if it’s all on the up and up.
Senator Cash
Sorry, just in relation to, you are right, the broader audit. Yes, absolutely, and that is why I said, isn’t it refreshing that Peter Dutton as the alternative Prime Minister, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as the alternative Indigenous Australians minister will demand an audit. And why will they do that? Because Andrew, we are not seeing the housing outcomes. We are not seeing the educational outcomes. We are not seeing the health outcomes. Despite billions and billions of dollars leaving Canberra every single year. It is about time Australians stood up and demanded accountability, accountability for outcomes. And that is what Peter Dutton and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, if we are elected to government, are going to do – demand accountability for the outcomes that should be being achieved on the ground and are not in relation to billions and billions of dollars of taxpayer funds that, as I said, they funnel out of Canberra, Andrew, but it’s a trickle when it gets to our communities on the ground. We need to demand accountability.
Andrew Bolt
Without a doubt, without a doubt. But another issue with the Voice, Michaelia Cash, it seems to be in direct conflict, if we get it, with what Australia signed up for when we were signatory to the UN’s International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Now, that is a treaty to eliminate racial discrimination, which it defines as any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin. Well, only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders will be allowed to sit on this voice or be represented by it. That is in direct conflict with this convention, and by the way, also with our own anti-discrimination laws. Doesn’t that pose a serious legal problem, a real question mark over whether this is even constitutional?
Senator Cash
Well, Andrew, as you said, what is the actual convention meant to do? It is meant to actually get rid of discrimination on the basis of race. What is the question, or the result of the question being put by the Prime Minister of this country to the Australian people? It’s actually to divide this country on the basis of race, you know, at odds clearly with the convention. Now, Andrew, some might say, but hey, hold on, the Convention also does allow a government to put in place special measures to address historical disadvantage. Now, it does allow that. But you know what the Convention also says? It says that these measures must be of a temporary nature, they must not be permanent. What is Mr Albanese doing? He is dividing this country on the basis of race. And he is doing that by asking Australians to change our constitution, and once you change the constitution, Andrew, it is permanent. So certainly at odds with what our obligations are under this convention. But you know, Andrew, at the end of the day, you got to ask yourself, what prime minister would ask Australians to divide our country on the basis of race? Well, that prime minister is Mr. Albanese.
Andrew Bolt
I agree. Well, I don’t understand all this argument about the details is important, of course.
Senator Cash
Didn’t you love what Ryan Martin said? And you said it in your opening. So you and I are either a dinosaur or a dickhead because we’re saying no. Well, that’s great. You’ve insulted millions of Australians. The prime minister then endorses Ray Martin’s speech. You’ve got to be kidding me. The prime minister should be apologising for Ray Martin’s speech. But as you then said, the next breath he says, “And the details don’t matter”. Right. Really? I mean, you’ve got to be kidding me.
Andrew Bolt
If you don’t, you can ask but you’re not going to get an answer. I mean it’s just stupid.
Senator Cash
But you’re not going to get the detail and then you’re a dinosaur and a dickhead. It makes no sense.
Andrew Bolt
Well, talking about dinosaurs and dickheads, I better not because I mights start labeling someone else. Thank you so much for your time.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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