Anthony Albanese has defended the wording of the proposed Indigenous Voice, dismissing fears of possible High Court challenges.
It comes as traditional owners from north Queensland and the Torres Strait are due to give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry looking at the constitutional change.
The prime minister said the prospect of cases being brought before the courts due to the wording had been shot down by Australia’s top constitutional law experts.
“This is a legally sound proposition. It makes it very clear that parliament is in charge,” he told 2SM Sydney on Wednesday.
“There’s no obligation and there’s certainly not an obligation on the government to agree to (action recommended by) the Voice. There is the provision for the Voice to be heard, for at least the views to be put.”
Australians will vote in the referendum on the Voice between October and December this year, pending the passing of legislation through parliament by the end of June.
The Liberal Party says the government should instead legislate a local and regional Voice process, while the constitutional change should be kept to a simple recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
The party position led to ‘yes’ proponent Julian Leeser quitting the frontbench and Liberal leader Peter Dutton appointing Northern Territory senator Jacinta Price – a strong advocate for the ‘no’ case – in his place.
Mr Dutton said the appointment of Senator Price was appropriate.
“Jacinta Price is one of the strongest, most coherent cut-through Voices in the country,” he told reporters in Adelaide.
“You’ve got a proposal for a Voice, which is a Canberra-based Voice, it’s the Voice of the elites and it’s not going to help Indigenous people on the ground.”
Former Liberal frontbencher Karen Andrews said the party was being distracted by the Voice campaign.
Ms Andrews said while the Voice was an important issue, the opposition also needed to look at other areas.
“We need to deal with the issue of constitutional recognition, but we need to focus on all Australians and what they are looking for and that is leadership, and that is support for the issues that they face every single day,” she told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
“There should be recognition in the constitution for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The debate is about what that wording is going to be.”
– AAP
