Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis attended St Paul’s Anglican Church in Canberra yesterday for a service marking the start of the parliamentary year.
The religious service was attended by Governor General David Hurley, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton; alongside various Federal Ministers and MPs.
Speaking on the day, the prime minister took the opportunity to clarify that if the upcoming referendum on an Indigenous Voice to parliament was successful, legislation to set up the advisory body would be introduced during his government’s term.
At the service, the Rev Dr Sarah Bachelard of the Anglican Church spoke to parliamentarians on the importance of the Voice.
“The call for a First Nations voice to be enshrined in the constitution is thus not just another policy proposal to be debated at the level of strategy and argument. It’s an invitation to our nation as a whole to grow in wisdom’s way.”
In a brief press conference outside the service at St Paul’s the prime minister spoke on the form the proposed Voice to Parliament would take if established.
“This is a Voice to Parliament, and it will be a Voice that will release its views publicly. Publicly, it will be available for all, is one of the principles that has been there. And of course, so many of the issues go across different levels of government.
“This is about consultation. It won’t have a right of veto, it won’t be a funding body, it’s very clear with the principles that have been put out,” he said.
At the end of the service Bishop Bartholomew conveyed the best wishes and prayers on behalf of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and its Primate, Archbishop Makarios.
The Prime Minister and Bishop Bartholomew were seen exchanging warm words as they embraced following the service.
