South Australia is the first Australian State to introduce the First Nations Voice Bill, which will likely be legislated by the state’s parliament by Easter.
“We can become the first jurisdiction in the nation to legislate for a Voice to Parliament and Government for First Nations people—empowering them to shape decisions, instead of being subject to them,” Maher said.
“Historically, South Australia has led the nation in reforms and legislation for First Nations people. It is a proud cross-partisan tradition that we seek to build on today.
“Now, we are poised to lead the nation again. And make no mistake—the nation will be watching very closely ahead of the referendum to be held later this year.”
South Australia’s premier, Peter Malinauskas, who had made the Indigenous voice to parliament an election promise, also gave his full backing to the move.
“Too often, decisions have been made for Aboriginal people, and not by Aboriginal people,” he said on social media.
Too often, decisions have been made for Aboriginal people, and not by Aboriginal people.
A fully-elected Aboriginal body that will not only be a Voice to our parliament, but a Voice within our Parliament can change that.
Malinauskas previously told Today on Feb. 7 that it was a “reasonable” initiative, saying it was a “whole-heartedly good thing to do, not just for Indigenous affairs but as a whole.”
The move also comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese continues to push for public support for The Voice in the form of a referendum. However, South Australia’s reform will not need a referendum.
Opposition Leader Says More Details Needed
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has requested more details on the Albanese government’s The Voice proposal, saying that is what Australians deserve.“The fact is that people want detail,” Dutton said on Feb. 9.
In January, Dutton asked Albanese in an open letter 15 questions he said needed to be answered before Australians could decide at the upcoming referendum.
One of the questions he wants to be answered before committing the Liberal Party to a position was to “clarify the definition of Aboriginality to determine who can serve on the body.”
Dutton was also invited to attend the referendum working group on Feb. 2, but said he was only able “to ask a couple of questions at the end” and was “keen to ask some more.”
“They had an informative but long PowerPoint presentation which essentially took up most of the time we had the other day,” he said.
“I think the absence of detail for political reasons and the bringing forward of the question …. for political reasons, I think the prime minister is very risky in his approach here,” Dutton said on Feb. 7.
The Voice—also a Labor pre-election promise—would legislate an independent, representative advisory body for First Nations people.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney welcomed Dutton’s involvement saying that the Liberal Party was needed in the referendum process.
“I think it’s very important that we involve Peter Dutton and his party as much as possible,” she told ABC Radio National on Feb. 7.
“And, of course, you know Peter Dutton approached the working group with an open heart and an open mind just a few days ago.
“He is committed to meeting again with the working group, and that’s a really good thing.”
However, there are concerns as to whether the proposed advisory for Indigenous Affairs would have a role advising National Cabinet.
Senator Patrick Dodson, who is chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, said: “If you’ve got a constitutionally enshrined Voice that has a seat at the National Cabinet table, will the high court interpret that that means their voice should be listened to that they have an equal say around the cabinet table with the states and territories and the commonwealth in discussions and policy.”
Albanese has said that the body would have no veto powers on government decision-making, no funding powers, no impact on sovereignty, and no capacity to deliver programs.
Meanwhile, Warren Mundine, national president of the Australian Labor Party and Indigenous leader, previously told The Epoch Times there were many questions about how The Voice would resolve on-the-ground issues like youth violence in the central Australian town of Alice Springs.
Albanese’s Request for Mailed Pamphlets to Voters
Dutton has said the Albanese government’s back down on having the Australian Electoral Commission mail an explanatory pamphlet on the Voice to Parliament to voters was not enough to garner the Liberal Party’s support.Albanese has requested an education pamphlet be mailed out in the lead-up to the vote—which was deemed unnecessary by Albanese in December 2022.
The Coalition on Feb. 7 said that the education pamphlet and public funding were non-negotiable demands that will be required if the party is to support legislation that would enable the referendum to be held in spring.
“It was never sustainable for the prime minister to say to the Australian people that he wanted them to vote in a referendum and then only provide an argument for one side of the case,” Dutton said.
“Since the election, there has been no bipartisan engagement in terms of the approach around the legislation,” Dutton said.
The referendum would make a provision in the Constitution for the Voice.
