Presiding Member of the First Nations Voice in South Australia delivers inaugural speech

ABC NEWS (Australia)

South Australia’s parliament has heard for the first time from a presiding member of the First Nation’s voice. Leeroy Bileny gave his inaugural speech in front of a packed chamber, saying he hopes the group will prove the sceptics wrong.

Transcript

00:00Flying the plane while building it, that's how the State Presiding Member Leroy Bilney

00:07described setting up the Voiced Parliament.

00:11He said that there's no rule book for setting up an advisory body like this one in Australia.

00:17This historic body is the first for all of us.

00:22There's no precedence.

00:24A member induction guide was created for us and a code of conduct, but no rule book or

00:31procedures beyond the legislation.

00:34We are beginning this journey together.

00:36The question is though, can we stay on the same path?

00:42I really do hope we can.

00:43The Presiding Member said that they too were elected by their peers and they're a small

00:48but determined group driven to create real change on the ground.

00:52He said there lies a heavy burden to challenge the cynicism that exists in the community.

00:57In eight months, they've advised on four bills, making changes to two, holding 18 local meetings

01:02between the six regions, as well as three state voice meetings.

01:07They've met with Cabinet and met CEOs from state agencies, but they say there's still

01:11a lot of work when it comes to governance and operations.

01:14The group expressed they needed to be driving the decisions about them and their communities.

01:19Four members have resigned and another is considering their options, with some saying

01:24the workload is a job on a job.

01:26The government says that they will consider more resourcing, but the opposition who were

01:30in the chamber today say they remain sceptical given the majority of South Australians voted

01:36no to enshrining a voice to parliament in the constitution at the federal level.

01:41Members are up for a re-election in 2026.

01:44They say that they know that there's a big challenge ahead, but they're up to the task.

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