November 28, 2022
The Nationals believe a Voice to Parliament – as proposed in the Uluru Statement From The Heart – would “undermine democracy” in Australia.
Nationals Leader and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said his party would oppose the “Voice”, which Federal Labor aims to put to a referendum during this term in office, possibly in mid-2023.
“The Voice will not advance the primary aim of Closing the Gap and dealing with the real issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mr Littleproud said.
He described the proposal as a “voice for Redfern”, ie. urban First Nations residents, rather than for communities in regional, rural and remote Australia.
He said The Nationals had consulted widely before reaching its decision.
“We believe in protecting communities and families when it comes to alcohol and drugs and we believe in the economic development of Indigenous land, solutions that will economically empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mr Littleproud said.
“The Voice will add another layer of bureaucratic red tape.
“A core component that underpins our free, liberal democratic society in Australia is the fundamental principle that every citizen is considered equal under the law.
“A constitutionally enshrined advisory body to Parliament based solely on a person’s race is the antithesis of the values that we share as The National Party.”
* * *
In July this year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a draft of the three sentences which would be added to the Australian Constitution if the proposed referendum passes:
- There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
- The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to Parliament and the Executive Government on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
- The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to the composition, functions, powers and procedures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
A Labor Party promise before the 2022 Federal Election to hold a referendum followed the release of the Uluru Statement From The Heart after First Nations’ delegates met at Mutitjulu in May 2017.
This gathering of more than 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across Australia followed more than a dozen regional dialogues held during 2016-17 to discuss options for Constitutional reform.
- External link: Uluru Statement From The Heart (262kb PDF)
- Related article: Joint Committee To Visit Cherbourg
The Voice may “add another layer of bureaucratic red tape” but if this allows First Nations people to express an opinion rather than have Parliament simply impose “protection” on communities (alcohol bans, welfare cards) and “economic development of Indigenous land” ie. mining, then that would be a very, very good thing.
This paternalistic thinking that First Nations people can’t make up their own minds about health and welfare issues in their communities – and whether or not they want their sacred land blown up by the likes of Rio Tinto – has to stop.
Of course, the people consulted by the National Party don’t want a Voice. Many National Party supporters still fear that Aborigines are going to “steal” their land (ironic, eh?) or maybe even spear their sheep! And many of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers were the ones who poisoned waterholes or “dispersed blacks” off the land. Something they definitely don’t want to be reminded about in 2022.
Just because one loud and proud Aboriginal woman, Jacinta Price, doesn’t support the Voice, doesn’t mean that a lot of other Aboriginal people don’t. And they don’t all live in Redfern or wear Gucci nor do they have a regular spot on Sky News.
Everyone, except the National Party it seems, would expect to hear a variety of views from Indigenous Australia about the Voice.
I know some people think Labor’s planned question doesn’t go far enough while others oppose even the concept of Constitutional change because it challenges the fact Aboriginal sovereignty over the land was never ceded to the invading British or the subsequent Australian Parliament.
But after a lot of talking by Indigenous people at a lot of locations around Australia, the Uluru Statement was released which has prompted this move by Labor.
I bet David Littleproud didn’t consult so widely.