Received

The first formal step to holding a referendum has been taken, as the words to alter the Australian constitution to enshrine an Indigenous voice were presented to federal parliament.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus introduced the bill on Thursday, setting the wheels in motion for a referendum later this year.

He said the alteration would rectify more than 120 years of the explicit exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia's founding legal document.

"Recognition through a voice is neither the beginning nor the end of this story, but it is an important new chapter," he told parliament.

"It is now 2023. It is time to accept the generous invitation in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. It is time to listen."

Parliament finalised the rules around the distribution of referendum information and political donations last week, modernising laws that were last used for the republic vote in 1999.

While introducing the bill, Mr Dreyfus invoked significant historical moments for Indigenous people, including the 1967 referendum, the 1992 High Court Mabo decision and the 2008 apology to the stolen generation.

But he said despite efforts of successive governments, efforts to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians had not been successful.

"It is time for a different approach, it is a time to open a new chapter, it is time to listen," he said.

"This is an important reform, but it is modest. It complements the existing structures of Australia's democratic system and enhances the normal functioning of government and the law."

The constitutional change will involve adding three clauses saying:

"There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

"The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to parliament and the executive government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

"The parliament shall, subject to this constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures."

Mr Dreyfus received a standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech.

Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey said the wording of the constitution should ease concerns from critics that the voice would be able to advise on other matters, such as interest rates or defence policy.

"If the voice did make representations on a wide variety of things that had very little relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, then the government is perfectly entitled to completely ignore them," she told ABC Radio.

The attorney-general said nothing in the provision would impact the ordinary functioning of Australia's democratic system, but rather it would enhance democracy.

"While the constitutional nature of the body and its expertise in matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples would give weight to the representations of the voice, those representations would be advisory in nature," he said.

"It will be a matter for the parliament to determine whether the executive government is under any obligation in relation to representations made by the voice."

The proposed question to be put to the Australian people in the referendum is: "A Proposed Law: to alter the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?"

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who was not in the chamber for the speech, has not yet revealed whether the Liberal Party would support the voice.

© AAP 2023

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney is celebrating a historic step towards a referendum on a voice to parliament while calling out the "doubters and wreckers" holding the nation back.

The first formal step to holding a referendum has been taken, as the words to alter the Australian constitution to enshrine an Indigenous voice were presented to federal parliament on Thursday.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus introduced the bill, setting the wheels in motion for a referendum later this year.

Ms Burney said the bill's introduction was history in the making and a step towards improving the lives of Indigenous people.

"This referendum is not about politicians and it's not about lawyers," she told reporters.

"It's about the Australian people having a say in the future of our country ... so that we can recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in our founding document."

While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in the chamber for the speech, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was absent.

Mr Dutton has not revealed whether the Liberal Party would support a voice to parliament.

But Ms Burney said she hadn't taken much notice and the government still had "enormous hope" they would provide bipartisanship.

"There will always be those that seek to hold us back. Those doubters, those wreckers, they want to hold Australia back," she said.

"Well, we want to take Australia forward more united, more hopeful and more reconciled than ever before."

In his speech, Mr Dreyfus said the alteration would rectify more than 120 years of the explicit exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia's constitution.

"Recognition through a voice is neither the beginning nor the end of this story, but it is an important new chapter," he told parliament.

"It is now 2023. It is time to accept the generous invitation in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. It is time to listen."

Mr Dreyfus said despite efforts of successive governments, steps to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians had not been successful.

"It is time for a different approach, it is a time to open a new chapter, it is time to listen," he said.

The constitutional change will involve adding three clauses saying:

"There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

"The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to parliament and the executive government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

"The parliament shall, subject to this constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures."

The attorney-general said nothing in the provision would impact the ordinary functioning of Australia's democratic system, but rather it would enhance democracy.

"It will be a matter for the parliament to determine whether the executive government is under any obligation in relation to representations made by the voice," he said.

Referendum working group member Pat Anderson said generations of Indigenous people had been seeking to prove their place in Australia, but if recognised by the constitution that would not need to happen anymore.

"There's nowhere else in my view, we've got our bare arses on the barbed wire here," she said.

"The system has to change to accommodate our needs so we can really get down to the disadvantage that continues ... on and on to plague us."

© AAP 2023

Pope Francis is suffering from a respiratory infection and will stay in the hospital for treatment for several days, the Vatican says.

The head of the Catholic Church had been taken to Rome's Gemelli University Hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the 86-year-old pontiff had complained of breathing problems in recent days.

At the hospital, tests revealed the infection.

Tests indicated the Pope does not have COVID-19, Bruni said.

On Wednesday morning, the pontiff held his weekly general audience in front of thousands of believers in St Peter's Square.

In July 2021, the Pope previously had intestinal surgery at the same hospital and spent 11 days there recovering.

In a recent interview, he indicated that he was again having trouble with his intestines.

The Pope has also been suffering from severe knee problems for more than a year, which often require him to use a wheelchair.

Francis has so far declined to undergo surgery on his knee - reportedly in part because he did not react well to anaesthesia during the previous operation.

© DPA 2023