‘What a stunt’: Albanese’s non-answer the only clarifying moment in a nonsensical question time

In the first question time since Saturday’s No vote, the prime minister at times wore a grim look on his face while the opposition leader appeared at ease, lounging in his chair as Coalition MPs peppered Labor with referendum attacks. 

The press gallery was more crowded than usual, but the studied back-and-forths and attempted point-scoring on the house floor felt familiar.

Anthony Albanese was able to duck most projectiles from the other side. But if the attack lines were off-target and unenlightening, so were some of the counter arguments from the government. 

A non-answer from Albanese became the only clarifying moment. Asked by opposition whip Melissa Price whether he was committed to pursuing truth-telling and Treaty, the prime minister avoided answering directly: “What I’m committed to, post the referendum, is respecting what Indigenous people have said, and what they have said is that they are undertaking a week, which is reasonable, for them to deal with what for many people — regardless of the way people voted in this referendum, I think it would be acknowledged that, for many people, such as for the women, the Anangu leadership, who I sat with in the red dirt of Uluru last week, it will be a difficult time, and I think that should be respected.”

In other words, what we learnt is, the path forward isn’t clear. It’s now doubtful how committed Labor is to its pre-election promise of an independent Makarrata Commission. (Last October it set aside $5.8 million for the project.)

It’s also unclear whether the opposition would go ahead with holding a second referendum if elected, to ask voters if the constitution should recognise Indigenous Australians. Earlier in the day, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton appeared to walk back his earlier promise: “I think it’s clear that the Australian public is probably over the referendum process for some time.”

Albanese seized on that, claiming Dutton was “now opposing himself”.

Dutton asked the first question, whether Albanese would apologise to the Australian people for holding the First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum. Albanese mocked him: “It is interesting to get a question from the leader of the opposition about division. The leader of the opposition has never seen a policy that he doesn’t oppose.”

When Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley got up to ask the opposition’s second question, asking why Albanese “made no effort to achieve bipartisanship” in the referendum campaign, she could barely make it through her sentence for the loud laughter from the other side. When Albanese began answering, the interjections from the opposition resulted in Liberal backbencher Rick Wilson being asked to leave the chamber. 

“I thank the deputy leader of the opposition for her rhetoric,” Albanese said. “What occurred was that I fulfilled that commitment that I made. This wasn’t out of convenience; it was out of conviction. I believe that when you make a commitment, including a commitment to Indigenous people, it should be fulfilled.”

He proceeded to list remote Indigenous communities where the Voice was met with overwhelming support, before running out of time. 

Dutton also tried to move a motion to censure the prime minister for holding the referendum. The government delayed a vote on it until later in the evening, when the attempt was defeated 86 votes to 51. 

When Labor’s house leader Tony Burke postponed the vote, Dutton could be heard muttering: “What a stunt.”

Which was the biggest stunt: Labor postponing the vote or Dutton putting the motion up? Let us know by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.