Labor’s hopes of a consensus on an Indigenous voice to parliament could be in doubt, with Coalition and Greens senators criticising the government for “waste” and calling for practical action over symbolism.
The prime minister pledged a referendum within this parliamentary term, a move the Victorian Greens senator Lidia Thorpe labelled a “complete waste” of money, saying advances towards a treaty were more important.
“We don’t need a referendum to have a treaty in this country and the treaty is what our people have been fighting for [for] decades and decades,” the Djab Wurrung, Gunnai Gunditjmara woman said.
NT Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said she would not support the proposal put forward by the government.
“No, I don’t support constitutionally enshrining a very vague proposal,” she said. “There’s no way I can support that.”
Price said her position was based on previous “failed” bodies that were abolished or defunded without change and action.
“I cannot support another federal-funded bureaucracy that doesn’t develop any more outcomes … we’ve seen so many models like that get up and fail,” she said.
She said Coalition partyroom discussions would continue and she wanted more detail from the government on the voice’s potential structure and elective process.
Price agreed more needed to be done to tackle disadvantage and inequality facing Indigenous people.
“I think this whole thing is certainly a waste of resources,” the Warlpiri-Celtic woman said.
Price said housing, violence against women and children, and alcohol-related social harms were big issues in the territory in need of urgent attention.
“There’s immediate concerns and issues right now that we’re faced with that need the support of the federal government and state and territory governments in their jurisdictions,” she said.
Last week, Indigenous Australians’ minister, Linda Burney, said the government could address disadvantage and symbolic change.
“We can ensure that we lift the standard of living for First Nations people in this country, and we can see a referendum come forward for voice [to parliament] to be enshrined in the constitution,” she said.
But Price disagreed, saying the commonwealth was failing to address systemic disadvantage and inequities.
“They haven’t demonstrated they can do both … it’s not enough to pay lip service, but to actually act and commit to practical actions, I’ve yet to see that take place,” she said.
Victoria’s First Peoples Assembly co-chair Marcus Stewart, tasked with leading complex treaty negotiations with the state, said the Indigenous voice to parliament was “above” politics.
“Our community don’t want a red Labor voice, a blue Liberal voice,” he said. “Not a green voice. They want [a] Black voice, our voice.
“We can’t get captivated by politicians in this debate.”
Stewart said the Uluru statement from the heart and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice was a chance for the country to come together to back once-in-a-generation reforms.
“That’s why this reform is so significant, it’s the greatest opportunity for self-determination that we’ve probably seen in our lifetime,” he said.
He said while treaty and truth-telling were key to reconciliation and building improved outcomes for First Nations people – work could begin now to lay the ground work.
“Treaties take a long time to negotiate … I don’t think it’s a matter of waiting for one and then the next but I do think we need voice to look at how those others will work,” Stewart said.
“We’ve got an opportunity now, to meet that moment in history. To see a successful yes vote, not to drag it down with division.
Burney, the minister for Indigenous Australians, has been contacted for comment.
