A failed referendum would waste 16 years of inquiry, consultation, and negotiation – and perpetuate the failed process of top-down policymaking, writes Ian Anderson.
In the lead up to the 2007 election, prime minister John Howard announced that if he was re-elected, he would bring forward a referendum on constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians within 18 months. The opposition leader, Kevin Rudd, responded in kind.
Sixteen years later, we are on the cusp of a referendum vote. All prime ministers since Howard have engaged with this idea. The Morrison government commissioned a detailed design of the potential national and regional structures for the Voice to parliament. Professors Tom Calma and Marica Langton led a co-design process that brought together Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders from across the political spectrum with senior public servants.
I am an Indigenous, palawa, doctor and academic. Over my professional career, I have worked on Indigenous policy from within and outside of government. I worked for the Australian government on the refresh of the Close the Gap national agreement. Engaging with Indigenous Australians who delivered services on the ground significantly improved the design of this agreement.The Australian government makes laws, policies and decisions that directly impact the lives of Indigenous Australians.
The Voice proposal developed for the Morrison government recommends that advice would be provided transparently to all members of parliament with discretion for informal discussions. Advice would present a clear position where possible, with flexibility to reflect diverse or dissenting views. The national body would seek advice, where needed, at a local or regional level.
Indigenous leaders have made significant compromises along the way. They put aside their ambition for constitutional reform to strengthen Indigenous rights. It became apparent early on that this would never win conservative support. The current proposed wording has the support of conservative constitutional experts.
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