Ms BURNEY (Barton—Minister for Indigenous Australians) (14:11): The last time I saw Yunupingu, the great Gumatj clan leader, was at the Garma festival last year in north-east Arnhem Land. Prime Minister Albanese had just delivered a passionate speech on constitutional recognition through a voice to parliament. I recall the conversation that the Prime Minister just told us about it, between Yunupingu and the Prime Minister. He asked the Prime Minister if he was serious about constitutional recognition, and, of course, the Prime Minister said we were. But he had every reason to be sceptical, every reason to not trust government. Over his 74 years, Yunupingu witnessed many broken promises. He fought all his life for his people, for land rights and for the recognition of his people. I hope it gave him some comfort in his final days to know that we have made great progress on what he often described as the most serious business in this country—reconciliation, to finally recognise the 65,000 years of shared history and continuous connection to this land by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Yunupingu was an extraordinary leader, a man of fire, or Gurtha, one of his sacred Gumatj clan totems, and a pioneer of the Aboriginal Land Rights movement. At 15 in 1963, he helped draft the Yirrkala bark petitions. Soon after, Yunupingu was the interpreter for Justice Edward Woodward, the Aboriginal Land Rights Commissioner appointed by Whitlam in '73, which lead to the eventual recognition of Aboriginal land rights in the Northern Territory. As both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have said, he was made Australian of the Year way back in 1978. In 1988, he handed the Barunga Statement to then prime minister Hawke. This week, I took a minute to reflect in front of the Barunga Statement on display in this very parliament. The day it was unveiled by Prime Minister Hawke was his last day as prime minister in 1991. Prime Minister Hawke stated, 'Its presence here calls on those who follow me that they find solutions to the abundant problems that still face Aboriginal people in this country.' In 2023 the Barunga Statement, together with the Uluru Statement from the Heart, guide us like the North Star to a better future. After Garma last year, Yunupingu was appointed to the referendum working group, advising government on the way forward, ahead of the referendum. This was our chance for recognition—recognition that has eluded us since 1788. At times Yunupingu was very unwell during these important meetings, but he remained engaged and informed of our progress. Above all, his leadership, wisdom and work over so many decades lit a fire within us all. In Aboriginal culture, life is not linear; it's circular. And, whilst you could see and hear Yunupingu, you could also feel him. Next week, I will be travelling with the Prime Minister to north-east Arnhem Land—where Yunupingu was born, lived all his life and where he died—to say goodbye to a giant: a giant of our times; a giant for all time. His legacy to us as a nation was a life of truth-telling; of makarrata, a coming together after a struggle; of healing the divisions of the past; of passionate belief in his people and in the Australian people. And we, as a nation, can give to him a successful referendum on constitutional recognition later this year. The SPEAKER: As a mark of respect, in the memory of Yunupingu, I ask all present to rise in their places. Honourable members having stood in their places— The SPEAKER: I thank the House. Debate adjourned.