CANBERRA: Members of the Albanese Government Cabinet are slowly being released from hospitals through the ACT after being treated overnight for various degrees of sheer exhaustion brought on by an almost inhuman workload that saw them deliberating on a key issue for far, far, too many hours.

All 20-odd ministers – and some of them are – reported dizziness, gross fatigue and in many cases, fainting spells after the Cabinet had grappled for several days and nights over just the right wording of the referendum question to be put to the people later this year in a bid to create a first-nations voice to Parliament.

An emotional Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning finally got to read out the wording that had so vexed and troubled his senior ministers in talks that were said to have lasted many hours and which at times sparked heated debate, some hurtful name calling and a coffee cup being thrown with some force and anger at one point.

His eyes watering and his voice wavering, the PM said: “The wording for the referendum shall be: A proposed law to alter the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?“

Before he could begin answering media questions, Mr Albanese suffered another fainting spell that saw him rushed back to his private room at the Bob Hawke Private Hospital for Charismatic Labor Leaders With Amazing Oratorical Skills in leafy Manuka.