What Possible Gain in Dividing the Nation?

In October this year, the Australian people will vote on the Voice to Parliament and the Executive. My family and I have lived and worked alongside indigenous communities since the 1820s, and I am firmly in favour of Australians recognising their unique status as those who came before. I am also deeply supportive of substantial, material, and practical efforts to address the challenges that have gripped a portion of indigenous Australians. But I have grave concerns that this particular policy will only worsen the
problems.

Over the years we’ve had numerous voices to Parliament, none of which have achieved that ultimate goal of ‘closing the gap’ between many, but by no means all, indigenous communities and the rest of Australia. Even now we have 50 peak indigenous bodies representing around 3000 Aboriginal organisations, and they are able to liaise with the minister for Indigenous affairs that every state and territory in Australia has.
Indigenous Australians, like all other Australians, already have many voices.

As my colleague and friend Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO has already pointed out, a national Voice can never represent the more than 500 diverse ‘nations’ of Aboriginal people. In one of the towns I represented for two decades, there are four distinct Aboriginal groups which each have their own unique voice, and very strong views about others speaking for them.

We need to realise that indigenous people don’t suffer from the lack of a Voice, or voices, but a lack of solutions to the cycle of fatherlessness, domestic violence, substance abuse and poor education that grips certain communities. The same tragic story plays out time and time again all over the country, but it won’t be solved by another political body, or throwing more money at the problem; we’ve tried that already. It’s time we moved on from empty gestures.

Yet those of us who speak out against the Voice are portrayed as racists, despite our being deeply committed to Aboriginal flourishing. Racism is appalling, and I’m utterly opposed to it, but so is any form of hatred towards our fellow beings, and I’ve noticed an unfortunate amount of hatred directed at those who seek answers about the Voice.

Through our precious democratic system, Australia currently has indigenous representation at every level, from local governments right through to national Parliament, including eleven federal politicians. Despite being only 3.2 per cent of the population, Aboriginal people make up 4.7 per cent of the federal parliament, where they have been democratically elected by the culturally diverse citizens who make up this country.

The Voice threatens the idea that parliamentary democracy is able to represent us all by saying that these politicians are not suitable for representing Aboriginal communities. By instead enshrining one group’s special status in the Constitution, we undermine the most basic democratic principle of equality. Our Constitution, the cornerstone of our nation’s flourishing, rests upon the belief that all are equal under it.
When we compromise on that by cementing racial differences in the Constitution, we’ve started to lose our nation’s soul.

Supporters of the Voice want to rush through a major constitutional change without detailing exactly what we’re supporting or opposing. Despite its enormous legal and social implications, we’re being actively discouraged from asking important questions about all the possible consequences. When our Constitution was drafted in the 1890s there was a dedicated convention, which produced a detailed final draft of the Constitution for Australians to vote on. For a constitutional change as significant as the Voice, there ought to be far more detail on its structure, powers, and influence so that Australians can make an informed choice.

Furthermore, there should be greater transparency around the intention of the Prime Minister to
honour the Uluru Statement “in full”, which says the constitutional change is to be followed by a ‘treaty’ and ‘truth-telling’. As a package, these will constitute a massive change in the way Australia is governed. In my view, it will create further division and resentment rather than unity, and in time be regretted as a wrong turn.

As I said, I have a sincere love and respect for Aboriginal people, some of whom I’m privileged to call my friends. I’m eager to find solutions for the problems they face. But the Voice to Parliament will create new problems without solving existing ones, and it risks pulling our nation apart as a result. I urge you to think carefully about your vote.

Hon John Anderson AC FTSE was Deputy Prime Minister from 1999-2005. He now serves in a range of community initiatives, including his video podcast – the preeminent one of its kind in Australia (YouTube, johnanderson.net.au). Anderson led the 2014 review into indigenous recognition and is currently part of the Recogniseabetterway.org.au campaign opposing the Voice to Parliament.