Embarrassing moment Attorney-General is so stumped by a question on the Indigenous Voice he resorts to reading out a colleague’s tweet – but doesn’t tell viewers
- Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has been accused of ‘plagiarism’
- Looked down at notes on desk more than 20 times in 60 seconds
- Did not acknowledge he was reading from someone else’s tweets
The Federal Attorney-General has been accused of plagiarism after using a colleague’s words on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament without accreditation.
Appearing on ABC TV’s 7.30 show on Monday night, Mark Dreyfus was asked about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and then looked down 21 times in 60 seconds.
He did so to read almost word for word from a series of tweets sent by his colleague, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, on Sunday night.
And at no point did Mr Dreyfus indicate that he was reading from notes or credit Ms Burney for writing the content he was using.
And at no point did Mark Dreyfus indicate that he was reading from notes or credit his colleague Linda Burney (pictured)
‘It appears the art of copying has made its way to Canberra,’ 2GB’s Ben Fordham said in a scathing on air piece on Tuesday morning.
‘When he was asked about the lack of detail (about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament), Mark Dreyfus kept looking down at the desk …
‘In the space of 60 seconds, he looked down at his notes 21 times,’ Fordham said.
‘Mark Dreyfus, the highest law officer in the land, was reading, virtually word for word, from a tweet that was written by someone else.
‘He was ripping off someone else’s homework.’
Fordham told his listeners that Ms Burney published tweets about the Voice on Sunday night and laid out her thoughts as dot points.
‘In one tweet, she had three points. Point 1 – Linda Burney wrote “The Voice will provide independent advice to Parliament and Government.”‘
Fordham then played a clip of Mr Dreyfus saying the same thing, word for word.
The second dot point from Ms Burney said ‘The Voice will be chosen by First Nations people based on the wishes of local communities.’
Mr Dreyfus said the almost identical ‘It’s going to be chosen by First Nations people based on the wishes of local communities.’
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has been accused of ‘plagiarism’ for reciting tweets (pictured) by Linda Burney without crediting her work
Ms Burney’s third dot point said ‘The Voice will be representative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.’
Mr Dreyfus said on ABC that ‘It’s going to be representative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.’
Fordham was not impressed: ‘Mark, you’re not even trying. It’s all copied directly from a social media post from your colleague Linda Burney.
‘The Attorney-General can’t answer basic questions without the cheat sheet.’
In a second tweet, Ms Burney added another three, numbered dot points.
Mark Dreyfus (pictured) was asked about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and then looked down 21 times in 60 seconds to read from notes
They were: 4) The Voice will be empowering, community-led, inclusive, respectful, culturally informed and gender balanced. It will also include youth.
5) The Voice will be accountable and transparent. 6) The Voice will work alongside existing organisations and traditional structures.
On 7.30, Mr Dreyfus again recited those lines almost word for word and made the points in the exact same order, and also did so with words from a third tweet sent by Ms Burney.
‘If this was a university assignment he’d be accused of plagiarism and given an F,’ said Fordham.
‘Mark Dreyfus, you have been busted for blatant copying.’
Fordham added that 7.30 host Laura Tingle should have called Mr Dreyfus out on the copying.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted both Mr Dreyfus and Ms Burney for comment.
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