Is there treaty in the Voice? What is treaty and truth-telling? Voice to Parliament questions answered

Labor and the Voice to Parliament have been the target of an intensifying opposition campaign in recent weeks. 

From voice to truth to treaty and Makarrata, there are a lot of words being thrown around in the debate coming from Canberra.

So what are these words and what have they got to do with the upcoming referendum?

What is the Uluru Statement? 

Labor took a promise into the last election committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full.

It was elected on that promise.

It's led to a plan to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament into the constitution, which the Australian public will either vote Yes or No by the end of the year.

The Voice to Parliament is the government's first step in its plan to implement all three elements of the Uluru Statement.

In just over 400 words, the statement outlines what Indigenous people believe should change in Australia for them to be properly recognised.

Voice, treaty (or Makarrata) and truth are its key demands.

What is Makarrata?

This week, draft changes to the Labor Party platform to be debuted at its national conference in a fortnight said: "Labor will take steps to implement all three elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart in this term of government."

The platform says: "Labor supports all elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, including a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament, a Makarrata Commission for agreement-making and a national process of truth-telling."

While there's no mention of the word treaty, "Makarrata" is a complex Yolngu word that can be used to describe a process of conflict resolution, peacemaking and justice, it can also serve as a synonym for treaty.

The Uluru Statement calls for a Makarrata Commission to be established "to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history."

In Question Time on Wednesday, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney quoted from the statement, which further defines Makarrata as "the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination."

If the Voice is successful, the government will look to set up a Makarrata Commission, which would be tasked with seeking "agreements" between First Nations people and the federal government, according to the government's quick guide on the Uluru Statement.

The guide goes on to say: "However, creating such a commission would most likely require legislation passed by parliament.

"A commission could also be established by letters patent granted with the prerogative powers of the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister, though this is not likely."

What are truth and treaty?

A treaty outlines the terms under which, in Australia's case, settlers may enter the land over which another party, Indigenous owners, has sovereignty and share in its resources.

Treaties can help settlers or colonisers and colonised people establish stronger relationships, based on respect, instead of force.

While there was no mention of a treaty in the definition of the Voice to Parliament or in Labor's recently published proposed platform, if the government was to honour its promise of implementing the Uluru Statement in full, it would eventually involve a treaty. 

But the form treaty might take is very unclear. 

State governments across the country are working towards their own respective treaties.

Victoria is closer than any other state to implementing one of their own, with formal state-based treaty negotiations expected to begin later this year.

A Native Title settlement in Western Australia between the Noongar people and their state government is considered by some experts as the closest thing in the country to a treaty.

Truth-telling would be one of the processes the Makarrata Commission would oversee. It was called for in the regional dialogues that informed the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Individual truth-telling processes are underway in several states and communities and they aim to create a record that accurately records history.

When questioned by journalists and members of the parliament over the past week about his own mentions of a treaty, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has avoided the word entirely.

In March this year, Mr Albanese said: "I am proud to lead a government committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart, in full."

Opposition Leader Petter Dutton used Question Time on Wednesday to take aim at the prime minister, referring to an interview he had done with ABC's RN.

"He was asked seven times whether he supported a treaty and seven times refused to give a direct answer — when will we hear a straight word from this prime minister?"

To which Mr Albanese replied: "The leader of the opposition needs to spend less time on his dirt unit and more time in the red dirt of the Top End."

What does treaty have to do with the Voice?

Considering the Voice to Parliament proposition doesn't include a treaty or any mention of one, then not much.

Marcus Stewart, a leading campaigner for the Yes camp, said it was important to be clear on just what "lies after the ballot," which he said was the ability to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

He described the debate over a treaty at this point of the Voice debate as "fear-mongering" by the opposition and called for maturity.

He said "treaty making" took a long time, noting the slow progress made on treaties, in particular states such as Victoria, where Mr Stewart has played a role in helping to legislate.

Ultimately, it hinges on what Australians want.

The government's quick guide to the Uluru Statement said: "The success or failure of any future referendum on inserting an Indigenous voice into the Constitution, and the initiative of a Makarrata Commission, will hinge upon there being enough political and community goodwill to reach a position that can be supported by the majority of Australians, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous."