CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Two days out from Australia’s historic Indigenous Voice To Parliament Referendum and the entire nation is wondering if it really needed to be this difficult.
This comes as Federal Senator Lidia Thorpe, an Indigenous ‘No campaigner’ against the Voice, says Voice should be legislated if the referendum fails.
Thorpe’s reasoning is that she was always opposed to constitutional recognition in place of a treaty, and that a voice to Parliament could still benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
So why wasn’t the government just pushing to legislate an Indigneous Voice To Parliament, rather than constitutionally enshrine it.
Both Albanese and prominent Indigenous ‘Yes campaigner’ Noel Pearson say that taking the Indigenous Voice proposal to a referendum is the only way to secure a permanent platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people in Parliament.
The architects of the Indigenous Voice argue that similar Indigenous committees and advisory bodies have existed before in Parliament – but are usually slashed from the budget the moment the government changes – often before they’ve had the chance to implement any change or influence any policymaking decisions.
Unfortunately, Lidia Thorpe’s suggestion of legislating an Indigenous Voice to Parliament after a failed referendum will never ever be considered. Mainly because a resounding NO vote will give politicians the excuse to never have to do anything to solve Indigenous disadvantage ever again.
In the event of a failed referendum, the only really path to securing a Voice To Parliament for Indigenous people would be to follow the model of Gina Rinehart and the rest of her billionaire mining tycoon friends.
Basically, what Aboriginal people need to do is, inherit millions of acres in Western Australia that were originally stolen from traditionally owners (but never mind that) and then begin prospecting for blue asbestos mines and accidentally stumble across iron ore – or even better, coal.
Then, begin digging that shit out of the ground by the shipping container load, all the while paying both sides of politics millions of dollars in political donations in an effort to secure a royalty and tax-free operation, as well as the guarantee that they will ignore any climate change scientists and environmentalists who get in the way.
From here, you they will have the loudest Voice in Parliament – one that is so loud they can call leadership spills at any moment, and will be treated like royalty by the whoring politicians the moment you step foot in Canberra. Spending millions on advertising in the Murdoch newspapers can only help, too.
And that is what the Indigenous people need to do if they would like to help advise our politicians on strategies to help prevent glaucoma and record breaking youth incarceration rates. Turn them
MORE TO COME.
