Opposition spokesperson for Indigenous Affairs, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has accused the government of wanting to implement treaties in Australia "by stealth" as the federal government says they still support the ideas laid out by the Makarrata Commission.
Appearing on Sky News, the Warlpiri/Celtic Senator told host and former Chief of Staff to Tony Abbott, Peta Credlin the result of last year's referendum meant the nation was against treaties.
"We shouldn't be attempting to hold treaties with our own citizens," Price said.
"And we can't continue to provide an environment where opportunists take advantage of the situation."
Despite the referendum being about a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament, conservative commentators and politicians have long argued the goal is a federal treaty, citing the Makarrata Commission's stated goal of "Voice, Treaty, Truth".
Price said she had "no idea" why the federal government had not listened to the country during the referendum.
"I imagine that the states and territories that are trying to implement treaty here are going through the negotiations at the moment, that they would then probably seek support from the federal government, to do so," she said.
"Right now, the federal government can claim that they're not doing anything, but I feel there's probably movement by stealth when it comes to treaty... it's simply wrong."
Her comments came a day before the 16th anniversary of the Stolen Generation apology, which saw Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney announced $707 million investment for a replacement to the community development program, with hopes it will create 3,000 jobs.
At a press conference outside Parliament House, Ms Burney was coy on the government's plans, arguing it would be rude to proceed with its call for truth and treaty after the referendum result.
"I cannot describe to you the hurt out there about the outcome of the referendum," she said.
"It would be rude and wrong, and against everything we spoke about today, to go forward without the community sanction – particularly in terms of truth-telling and treaty."
Labor has said they are committed to the Makarrata - a Yolngu word meaning the coming together after a struggle - but didn't highlight what form this would take.
Mr Albanese told Parliament the government would "take the time needed to get Makarrata and truth-telling right" whilst highlighting the work of treaty at a "state and territory level".
Ms Burney said the government would "take things as fast or as slow as the community wants to," noting whilst Labor completely accepted the referendum result on Voice, it did "leave the truth-telling and treaty components".
Asked about the federal government advancing and supporting a series of regional voices - which was proposed by Indigenous academic Marcia Langton in the Calma-Langton report from 2021 and reiterated by her in The Australia last week – the minister said whilst this was under discussion, the government was currently being guided by the referendum result.
"Issues like regional voices are something I know are being discussed in places like the Kimberley," Ms Burney said.
"I'm not going to say anything definitive today, it's not my job to do that right now, there are discussions to be had with the community and within the structures that we need to within this place."
Treaty processes are underway in several Australian jurisdictions, with the most advanced being Victoria, where negotiations between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly are set to take place this year.
