‘Don’t miss this opportunity’: PM warns voice opponents
Peter Bodkin |
The prime minister has taken a veiled swipe at his political opponents over the voice to parliament, warning them of the danger of passing up the opportunity to unite the nation behind Indigenous recognition.
Anthony Albanese delivered his comments to a supportive crowd at Petersham in his inner-west Sydney electorate on Saturday, the first day of a “week of action” from backers of the voice campaign.
He said Indigenous Australians had said “loudly and clearly” that they wanted recognition and for this to be delivered through the voice.
Mr Albanese added what would be put to the public in a referendum, to be held between October and December, was a “very clear proposition” and further detail on the voice would be informed by a series of principles published by the referendum working group.
“I think those principles are very clear, they’re there for every parliamentarian to understand,” he said.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has for weeks called for more information about how the voice will work as the Liberal Party weighs up whether to back the “yes” or “no” campaign in the vote.
He warned on Friday the referendum was doomed to fail, again accusing the prime minister of withholding key details on the voice’s makeup and scope.
But Mr Albanese on Saturday argued the referendum was an “opportunity to unite our nation”, adding with emphasis: “And I say to those in positions of political leadership, do not miss this opportunity this time.”
The prime minister’s speech follows Mr Dutton this week saying he regrets boycotting the then-Labor government’s 2008 apology to the stolen generation.
Mr Albanese said he would reach out to any parliamentarian from across the political spectrum on the voice as it shouldn’t be the subject of partisan debate.
“It will send a message to the world that we’re a mature nation, that we’re prepared to come to terms with our history and who we are,” he said.
The government is weighing up the wording of the proposed constitutional amendment, including the divisive issue of whether it should include an explicit reference to the voice providing advice to the “executive government”.
Concerns have been raised that the wording could open up the possibility of High Court challenges to future legislation, while some voice proponents are worried removing the words could limit its power and scope.
As part of the week of action, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney will travel to Orange to meet with former Nationals MP Andrew Gee, who quit his party to sit as an independent over its opposition to the voice.
She will also travel to Melbourne for a series of forums and to Flinders Island in Tasmania with Liberal MP Bridget Archer, who has been pushing her party to back the constitutional change.
AAP
