People still don’t know about voice, minister admits

Andrew Brown | February 7, 2023

Large numbers of people who will decide the future of the Indigenous voice to parliament don’t yet know about the proposal, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has conceded.

Speaking to a government party room meeting on Tuesday in Canberra, Ms Burney urged Labor colleagues to campaign within their communities for the “yes” vote.

“Many of the people who will decide the referendum still don’t know about it,” she said.

The referendum to enshrine the Indigenous voice to parliament in the constitution will be held in the second half of the year.

The exact wording of the question, as well as what would be put in the constitution should the referendum succeed, will be finalised by June at the latest.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the voice would be about recognising Indigenous people.

“We don’t currently recognise in a positive way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our constitution,” he said.

“Many nations that have histories of colonisation do do that: recognise their Indigenous people.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has yet to lay out his party’s formal position on the voice, but he has denied his questions about details of the proposal were undermining it.

At a joint party room meeting on Tuesday, the coalition agreed to push for funding to be provided for the “yes” and “no” campaigns as well as the distribution of pamphlets to households outlining the argument for both sides.

Mr Dutton said a majority of Australians wanted the situation to improve for Indigenous people, but there was still confusion about the voice.

“People … want to do the right thing but don’t understand what it is the government’s proposing,” he said.

“What would give people more assurance is if there is a bill that can explain how it’s going to work because there are different models as well.”

The latest Essential poll found 65 per cent of people supported the constitutional change.

While junior coalition party the Nationals will not back the voice, the Liberals have not put forward a formal stance.

Greens leader Adam Bandt said his party would be united in backing the voice after outspoken senator Lidia Thorpe’s decision to quit the party because of her concerns with the referendum proposal.

The Greens had delayed officially backing the proposal, saying the party wanted all aspects of the Uluru statement from the Heart – including treaty – to be implemented.

“All Greens MPs will be campaigning for the referendum to succeed. It’s going to be an important opportunity for the country to take another step towards First Nations justice,” Mr Bandt said.

“It was a consensus decision and there was no dissent to it; we’re all going to be campaigning for it.”