The release of details of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum – including the precise wording of the question and details about how the Voice will work with other parts of government – did little for Peter Dutton on Thursday.
The former detective and current Opposition Leader repeated his criticism of the referendum concept and the way the government has handled it.
“It’s not just millions of Australians who are not Indigenous who want the detail, but many, many Australians of Indigenous heritage also want the detail and I don’t think it’s too much to ask for,” he said.
Indigenous MPs, members of the cabinet and members of the referendum working group came together at Parliament on Thursday to release the final form of words for the proposed change to the constitution.
Mr Dutton did not cop to having been caught up in the moment of the announcement, which left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese choked up and moved Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney to tears.
“I’ve seen Indigenous women crying in the meetings that we’ve gone to and it’s heartbreaking,” he said.
Instead, Mr Dutton pointed to 15 questions he had written and said that the government was yet to answer, although others have compiled the information.
“I want the Voice to provide a better outcome for those people. And if it is not, is there a better way?” he said.
“Is it going to make it more difficult because there is another layer of bureaucracy and makes it harder for the Indigenous women in the communities to be heard?”
“If you’re proposing a very significant change to our founding document, how will it deliver practical outcomes for Indigenous Australians?
“If you can’t provide that detail, then he needs to explain why.”
Mr Dutton said the full legal implications of the Voice and how it would operate needed to be released.
“It’s absolutely essential that the Prime Minister releases the solicitor-general’s advice. From what I’ve read in media reports, the solicitor-general has concerns about these very words,” he said.
“In the absence of that advice, and in the absence of detail from the Prime Minister, how can the Australian public make an informed judgment about a very, very important issue?”
Coalition senator Jacinta Price said the body would be able to challenge government decisions in court if it didn’t agree with how its advice was considered.
“There is no guarantee that they will absolutely not be challenged in the High Court,” she said.
“This will then put strains on the rest of the nation for decisions being made for all Australians.
“I would suggest this is now walking on very dangerous ground.”
Nationals leader David Littleproud also called for the legal advice to be released, saying his party remained opposed to the voice on the basis it would add another level of bureaucracy.
There was no malice in the party’s position as it also wanted to see Indigenous wellbeing improved, he added.
But changing the constitution would allow legal challenges to arise.
“We have the framework, we just need the bureaucracy to work better,” Mr Littleproud said, pointing to local Indigenous bodies across the country.
Mr Dutton and the Liberal Party are yet to declare a position on the referendum.
The Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum is expected to be held between October and December.
