Opposition leader Peter Dutton says he would hold another referendum to vote on constitutional recognition, rather than a voice to parliament, should the October 14 Voice to Parliament referendum end with a “no” result.
“I believe very strongly that it is the right thing to do,” Dutton told Sky News on Sunday. “But enshrining a Voice into the constitution is divisive. It will divide the country down the middle. It will not provide practical outcomes.”
Videos by VICE
Constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians has been supported by the Liberal Party and Coalition governments since John Howard was in charge. Howard went into the 2007 election proposing a new Statement of Reconciliation be put into the preamble of Australia’s constitution – but lost the election to Kevin Rudd. Despite this apparent support, the Coalition never held a referendum on Indigenous recognition during its time in government between 2013 and 2022.
But Dutton’s latest rebirth of the policy has proven divisive in itself, with Independent and Liberal MPs, as well as Indigenous leaders, criticising the idea. Sean Gordon, a spokesperson for the Liberals for Yes group, told the ABC that Dutton’s proposition of something “completely alternate to what Indigenous people asked for” only spoke to the disempowerment of Indigenous people.
Elsewhere, Senator Jackie Lambie said the plan was “absolute rubbish”, that it lacked detail, and that his comments were “absolutely idiotic of him.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the Sydney Morning Herald that the best approach was still to set up the Voice with constitutional recognition. “For Peter Dutton, it’s always about the politics, never the substance,” he said.
