John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to add to my answer to the question which Senator Brandis asked me. The office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided me in fact with a transcript of an interview that the minister gave on the Meet the Press program. He was asked whether there was some possibility that Australia would reverse its stand on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It may assist Senator Brandis to know that the minister said in answer to that question:

STEPHEN SMITH: Absolutely. And we’re currently giving consideration to that. We’re currently going through consultations. Jenny Macklin is leading that.

He went on to say about the UN declaration:

STEPHEN SMITH: It’s associated with a resolution of the General Assembly, so it’s not a formal treaty as such. But we’re required to go through consultation with stakeholders, the States and the Territories. We’re in the process of doing that. But once we come to—and we’re, of course, positively disposed to the declaration. But once we’ve finalised those consultations, and we come to a conclusion, we simply let our view be known.

I hope that might assist Senator Brandis in relation to the question he asked.