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Cory Bernardi
Despite all the political noise, the most important issue facing this country is the government’s proposal to divide us along racial grounds. Now I say this because we can fix most of our other issues, right, given enough time, you can sort this stuff out. But if we put the voice into the Constitution, to my mind, we’re effectively announcing an apartheid type state where some citizens have more legal rights or more rights in general than others. Everything else, as far as I’m concerned is window dressing until a Voice is defeated. And a YouGov poll today showed a slim majority in favor of enshrining racism in our constitution across the country. Advocates continue to claim it will not have significantly legal implications, and yet they won’t release the full advice to government about those potential legal pitfalls. We’re here to discuss the implications of the voice with Shadow Attorney-General Senator Michaelia Cash. Senator Cash, wonderful to have you on the program. How can the government say the Voice won’t be an impediment to parliament when they actually have to be consulted about almost every bit of legislation. Won’t that unnecessarily delay things?
Senator Cash
It will Cory, and the government can’t continue with this stance unless of course Mr. Albanese is trying to deliberately mislead the Australian people. If the government wants this referendum to have any legitimacy at all, it needs to come clean with the Australian people about a) what they are asking the Australian people to do, and b) what are the actual rights that are created by the change? Cory you summed it up in one, Mr Albanese is asking the Australian people to put in place a constitutional right to make representations for a very small group of people in Australia, less than 4% of the population, to make representations to the Parliament and to the executive on any matter that concerns them. And this is a right that no other Australian will have. So talk about walking away from a fundamental belief that all Australians have an equality of citizenship. But also, Mr. Albanese needs to be upfront with the Australian people, what are the actual rights that are being created? If you have a right to make a representation, guess what Cory, you also have a right to be properly informed about the representation you are making. So what you are talking about here is an additional layer of bureaucracy in Canberra. Can I tell you, you’re not going to hear the voices of the people from Laverton, from the people from Leonora, from the people of Alice Springs. But what you are telling them is this: you are, constitutionally we are saying to you, you are marginalized forever and beyond. And that is not the way you actually take a step forward in relation to better outcomes for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Cory Bernardi
I agree with you 100%. And you’ve been in Canada, you understand how this works. Tell me where I’m wrong, if I am. A policy proposed by a minister goes to cabinet, the cabinet ticks off on it, then before it can be presented to the parliament it actually has to go to the Voice so that they can consider it, make comment on it before it’s voted on by the parliament because if the parliament passes a piece of legislation that hasn’t had that consultation, there’s a risk that the Voice authority could take it off to the High Court, is that correct?
Senator Cash
Mr Albanese is asking the Australian people to give less than 4% of our population a constitutional right to make representations, as you said, on any policy that affects them, which is anything from submarines, as has been said, through to parking tickets. And if you have a right to make a representation, you have a right to demand of government that you are properly informed. To be properly informed, the government must, prior to making that representation, provide you with adequate information. Cory, this is literally going to be, not the first level, the second level, the third level, this will be the fourth level of government in Canberra. But I think, Cory, what is more offensive is asking Australians to divide each other on the basis of race. As Jacinta Nampijinpa Price says, “I have a white fella father, and a black fella mother, and Mr. Albanese is asking my family to be divided into two.” Cory that is not the way Australians want to live. We want to be one together, not two divided and what Mr Albanese is doing is constitutionally enshrining the dividing of Australia. That is not healthy for democracy.
Cory Bernardi
You’re absolutely right. I’ve got to say Peter Dutton I think has struck the right note, late in the piece on this. Is the Liberal Party right behind him because you’ve got people like Simon Birmingham as your leader in the Senate who, you know, won’t engage in it. He doesn’t have the decency to resign, because he wants a Voice. Are you guys rock solid in saying no to this?
Senator Cash
Yes, we are. The position of the Liberal Party under Peter Dutton is very, very clear. We will say no to enshrining in our Constitution a right that no other Australian has other than those of a particular race. We will say no to Anthony Albanese’s Canberra based bureaucracy. But why Cory? Why? Because this is not the way to go about achieving real outcomes on the ground for indigenous people in particular in regional and remote Australia. All Australians want to see improvement in the lives of our most disadvantaged, but this is not the way to do it. Mr. Albanese, though, he wants Australians to vote on the “vibe”. If he wants this referendum to have any legitimacy at all, he needs to come clean with the Australian people. He needs to tell them exactly what he proposes to do. But more than that, what are the flow on effects to our democracy?
Cory Bernardi
Hear, hear. So many questions unanswered, Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash. Thank you for joining me. I hope we’ll be able to have a chat with you again very soon.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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