Former prime minister @TurnbullMalcolm has thrown his support behind an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, declaring he'll vote yes when a referendum is held. His intervention is notable, because when he was prime minister, he opposed the Voice. #abc730
"It has achieved enormous momentum. It is the only form of constitutional recognition that Indigenous Australians are seeking. After centuries of disempowerment and dispossession, we need a very good reason to oppose it." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"I do regret using that term [third chamber] because it was misunderstood. I never intended to convey the idea that it would be a third chamber like the Senate is a second chamber." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"I'm not going to apologise for political discourse five years ago, but what I would say is I think we have to be clear. It's not a third chamber in the way the Senate is a second chamber." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"As Anthony Albanese himself observed, speaking very candidly and constructively about it, he said it would take a very brave government to do something relating to Indigenous affairs that the Voice opposed." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"This is a big issue, the biggest change to our Constitution in my lifetime and it will change the way our Parliament operates. So, people shouldn't imagine this is symbolism. I believe our parliamentary democracy can handle it, but it will be a big change." – @TurnbullMalcolm
"It's very important the referendum succeeds ... at the time in 2017, we all thought it had not a snowball's chance in hell. We thought it was doomed to catastrophic defeat. I think now it's winnable, but I say that with great trepidation." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"I think this is one of the most appalling things I have ever heard in our Federal Government. I mean, the idea that a Prime Minister would be sworn in to other ministries, secretly, is incredible. I'm astonished that Morrison thought he could do it." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"This is sinister stuff. This is secret government. What Albanese said today about it is absolutely right. This is the sort of thing that, it is not something we associate with our form of democracy." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"It is very sinister. It is secret. It is unusual and unprecedented enough for a Prime Minister to be sworn in to another department other than his own. You do it, obviously, if a minister is away ... this flies in the face of everything we believe." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"Let's assume as Prime Minister you felt that you needed to have the discretions and authorities of the Health Minister or the Finance Minister. Well, then, you should do it openly." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
"Scott was meant to be leading a centre-right conservative government. This is not conservative. This is throwing aside all of the traditions of Westminster parliamentary democracy." – @TurnbullMalcolm #abc730
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