Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
9 News Perth
Topics: the Voice
12 September 2023
E&OE.
Monika Kos
Postal vote applications have been sent but plenty of Australian residents are still confused over how to vote at the Voice in the Parliament referendum, now less than 5 weeks away. Last week, we had ‘yes’ campaign boss Dean Parkin on to answer your questions and this afternoon we are joined by ‘No Campaigner’ and Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash, welcome to the program.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you Monika.
Monika Kos
Why are you so vehemently against the Voice to Parliament?
Senator Cash
Because Monika, I don’t believe in dividing our country on the basis of race.
Monika Kos
Is that what a ‘no’ vote actually means?
Senator Cash
It does, because what Mr Albanese is asking the Australian people to do, is to enshrine in our Constitution a body for one group of Australians based on their race – that’s dividing our nation on the basis of race. I am someone who fundamentally believes in the principle of equality of citizenship. I don’t care who you are, or where you’ve come from – we are all Australians, we are all equal before the law, and we’re all equal in the Constitution.
Monika Kos
Alright, well then where does the ‘no’ vote leave indigenous people?
Senator Cash
Well, it basically leaves us all as Australians and being equal. And Monica, we all want to see better outcomes for Indigenous Australians, but enshrining in our Constitution a voice that divides us… that’s not the way to do it. And can I tell Western Australians, another layer of bureaucracy in Canberra – I can tell you, they won’t be listening to the Voices of Western Australian Indigenous people. Perhaps Monika, we should start by asking for accountability in relation to the in excess of $30 billion dollars, that’s right $30 billion dollars that we spend each year in the Indigenous Affairs space.
Monika Kos
Senator if I could just say, the Liberal leader Peter Dutton, he’s promised that if this referendum fails on October 14, he’ll facilitate a second vote on constitutional recognition of First Nations Australian’s without a Voice to Parliament. How would this work?
Senator Cash
Well basically, all Peter was doing was reinforcing our long held position of constitutional recognition. And I think what’s so sad about this referendum Monika is it’s not about constitutional recognition. We could have achieved that with Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese standing next to one another. But Mr. Albanese has chosen instead to be tricky and deceptive. He’s tying constitutional recognition to a risky voice. This should have been a unifying moment for Australian’s. And instead, what Mr Albanese is doing is dividing our country.
Monika Kos
Senator, we’ve got quite a few viewer comments on this topic as you would expect, if we can move through them as quickly as possible it would be appreciated. Mike Gilks asks how will the ‘yes’ vote ensure that this voice is listened to?
Senator Cash
Well, it can’t Mike because there are over 250 Indigenous language groups in Australia. We will probably get 2 representatives in Western Australia. How do those 2 representatives actually take the voices of dozens and dozens or Indigenous language groups in Western Australia to Canberra? It can’t. And that’s why Warren Mundine, an Indigenous man himself, this is what he says about Mr. Albanese’s elitist Canberra-based Voice… “it’s not my Voice”.
Monika Kos
Maria Gouldan wants to know has anything similar been done in other parts of the world without outcomes to compare?
Senator Cash
Great question Maria. Simple answer, no. And that is why we say, the Voice that Mr. Albanese is proposing – it is untried, it is untested, and that’s anywhere in the world but more than that – if you change the constitution, it’s permanent. So as Australian’s, you will be left with any bad decision and any bad outcome because you’ve changed the Constitution.
Monika Kos
Dimuth Sapumal Senanayake reckons waste of taxpayers money. Now more than $364 million will be spent over the next three years to help deliver the referendum, that’s amid a cost of living crisis. And yet, your party leader Peter Dutton is committing to hold another referendum if elected. So what do you say to those who argue that he’s out of touch?
Senator Cash
Well again, it didn’t have to be this way. If Mr. Albanese had worked with Peter Dutton, we could have brought to the Australian people a bipartisan approach in relation to constitutional recognition. And that is what we would do if we’re elected to government.
Monika Kos
Silke Peglow says Australians are so racist, as a leading opponent of the Voice to Parliament, how do you respond to that?
Senator Cash
We are without a doubt, if not the, one of the most successful multicultural nations in this country, in the world and we should be incredibly proud of that. I don’t know how you’re racist if you’re actually voting against dividing our nation on the basis of race.
Monika Kos
Toby Cocks advises, don’t be fooled by those trying to fill you with fear, ‘no’ campaigners have been accused of spreading fear and misinformation?
Senator Cash
I think ‘no’ campaigners have been asking for a very long time now very reasonable questions of the Prime Minister and he’s unable to answer them. And I have to say to see Marcia Langdon in the weekend in Bunbury, call ‘no’ campaigners effectively racist and stupid. That’s really disappointing because every Australian has the right to ask questions and it is Mr Albanese who is failing to answer them.
Monika Kos
Matthew Clarke writes WA complain about improvement and investment heading east and now they’re going to vote ‘no’ to improvement and investment in country WA?
Senator Cash
Can I tell you another layer of bureaucracy in Canberra, an elitest Canberra-based Voice doesn’t help the people in Western Australia. But Monika as I said, perhaps a bit of accountability in relation to where the $30 billion that we already spent each year in the Indigenous Affairs space is actually going. Let’s make sure that money gets to the people on the ground, gets to the people in Leonora, Laverton and Roebourne because to date, we know it’s just not.
Monika Kos
Finally from Sally Henderson who writes the naysayers are the loud ones. I’m voting yes, as is everyone I know. What are you hearing?
Senator Cash
Ultimately, when you vote at the referendum, it’s your individual choice as an Australian. All I would say is that it’s actually okay to vote ‘no’. And if you don’t have all the detail again, it’s okay to vote no.
Monika Kos
And we’ll all have our say on the 14th of October. Senator Michaelia Cash, thank you very much for your time this afternoon.
Senator Cash
Great to be with you.
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