/ 09 January 2023

The Voice – trying to understand it…

Image source: AAP
Image source: AAP

Coalition leader Peter Dutton and PM Anthony Albanese are tussling over the federal government’s plans to hold a referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament this year. Dutton reckons Albanese – who promised to deliver a referendum during a speech at Queensland’s Woodford Folk Festival in late December – hasn’t provided enough detail about how it would work. Albanese says Aussies can vote on the “principle” of installing a Voice, and then it’s up to parliament to legislate for how it will work. Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney backs that approach – she says the referendum is “effectively asking do we need a bridge to cross the Sydney Harbour: yes or no” with the parliament deciding “how many lanes on that bridge”. Dutton isn’t happy with that – he wants a model for the Voice introduced to parliament before the vote, but Albanese yesterday accused Dutton of “cheap culture war stunts”.

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