Legal experts criticise suggestions Indigenous voice will have veto power in parliament

Former high court justice Kenneth Hayne told the Indigenous voice referendum inquiry that he couldn’t see ‘anything in those drafts that comes anywhere near providing anything like a veto’. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Constitutional experts have criticised suggestions the Indigenous voice will have veto power in the Australian parliament, calling such prophecies “doomsdaying” and “distorting” of the truth.

Speaking at the first hearing of the joint select committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice referendum, a string of legal experts said the voice would be legislated to provide representations on relevant matters, akin to advice.