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So I just wanted to return to Linda Burney’s comments to the SMH this morning, where she said the Yes campaign for the Voice to parliament will launch “later this month” and that the legislation will be introduced to parliament “sometime in March.”
Burney also said she was “optimistic” that the country would vote yes, as well as mentioning that she hoped opposition leader Peter Dutton would support the Yes campaign.
Once that all mobilises, I think we’re going to have a country that’s ready for change.
It’ll go off to a committee for six weeks, and then it will come back into the parliament for debate and decision, which will really be the starting gun for the referendum.
I’m optimistic … There is already enormous support across the faith sector, across the corporate sector, across the union sector, and in many parts of the electorates. And that support has just been overwhelming.
I hope that what Peter Dutton ends up doing is [finding] a constructive way forward with this debate. And it’s a huge opportunity, really, for Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party to see that this is about the Australian people and bringing us together.
Catholic archbishop of Sydney pays tribute to Pope Benedict
The Catholic archbishop of Sydney, Reverend Anthony Fisher, has issued a statement remembering and mourning Pope Benedict XVI.
Fisher said Pope Benedict was a “towering intellect” and a man of “deep piety” while referencing his connection to Australia:
Pope Benedict XVI holds a special place in the hearts of Catholics in Australia where he is remembered as ‘the World Youth Day Pope’. In 2008, he gathered with hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims in our harbour city for catechesis and worship.
He was received by the young people as a loving spiritual grandfather and 14 years later we are still reaping the fruits of that visit. In addition to his beautiful preaching at that time, I have many happy memories of private moments with Pope Benedict then and later as he reminisced about his time with us.
Pope Benedict’s connection to Australia was strengthened in 2010, when he canonised St Mary of the Cross Mackillop as Australia’s first recognised saint.
At his election as Pope in 2005, Benedict famously referred to himself as “a simple and humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord” and entrusted himself to the prayers of the faithful.
I witnessed that simplicity and humility – indeed real holiness – up close on several occasions. Today the universal Church prays that that humble servant of the Lord, Benedict XVI, be welcomed into the loving embrace of the God he served so well.
To begin things on the first day of the year, I thought I’d also point you to our new year’s celebrations blog, which is tracking parties and new year’s messages from around the world:
Good morning and happy new year.
The Indigenous Australians minister, Linda Burney, has told Nine newspapers that Australia will vote on the Indigenous voice to parliament as early as August, with the Albanese government planning to introduce the enabling legislation for the referendum “sometime in March”.
Burney said the government would aim to pass the legislation through parliament in May, which would mean the public vote could be held between August and November.
Earlier in the week Burney dubbed suggestions that Labor has not released enough detail about the Indigenous voice to parliament as “rubbish” as the Liberals continued to call for a free vote in the referendum.
New Year’s Eve parties lasted well into the night around Australia in the first end-of-year celebration in three years without Covid-19 restrictions, including no limitations on tourists travelling interstate or overseas.
More than 1 million people were estimated to have flocked to Sydney’s centre to watch the show along the harbour, with more than eight tonnes of fireworks launched from landmarks.
In Melbourne, an estimated 450,000 revellers went into the CBD to watch a firework display set off from 30 rooftops. Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Tasmania also welcomed in the new year with fireworks displays but public celebrations and fireworks in Darwin had to be cancelled for safety reasons due to a monsoon.
New federal government measures have also come into force with the arrival of the new year. Under the measures, Australians will pay up to 30% less for prescription medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, with the maximum co-payment falling to $30.
Let’s get into it.
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