MEMBER for Mallee Anne Webster remains firm in her opposition to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament after the wording of the referendum question was announced last week.
“I, along with others, are yet to see any detail that explains how enshrining a Voice in the Constitution will help with the challenging situation facing Indigenous communities across Australia,” Dr Webster told The Guardian.
“What we need are practical measures to Close the Gap, not another bureaucratic representative body.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed the wording of the referendum question during a press conference at Parliament House last week – “A proposed law to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”
When discussing the Voice back in August last year, Dr Webster said that “while every voice is important, one voice should not be prioritised by default”.
This is a statement she continues to stand by to this day.
“It is important to note that any member or senator has been democratically elected to be a voice for their communities, including the 11 Indigenous Senators and Members – establishing a body purely to be the voice for one group based on race is counterproductive to that,” Dr Webster said.
“In fact the Voice as it stands has not detailed who chooses the representatives and on what basis. The fact is Indigenous people are not homogeneous and their needs and perspectives are not identical. That is why many Indigenous people are not supportive of the Voice.
“I believe the Voice risks dividing us by race, and that is not how I view Australia. The Voice risks this to give precedence to one race.”
Dr Webster believes Australians are yet to be given enough information about the Voice in order to make an informed decision when it comes to voting in the referendum.
“We are all Australian, recognised under the Constitution. I will be voting no, however I also recognise that this is a referendum that will be decided by the people of Australia,” Dr Webster said.
“I urge people to think about their vote when it comes time to cast it.”
