Some issues that parliamentarians have to vote on transcend partisan political positions. Oftentimes the issues relate to deeply-held moral, religious, or ethical views. In my view the Voice is such an issue. All parliamentarians should have a conscience vote on this, even the Nationals, who classically said (28/11/2022) that the party’s decision to oppose the Voice was not binding and individuals ‘could choose how they would be involved’, whatever that means. I’m hoping it means they can have a conscience vote.
The Voice advisory group want the opportunity to express their concerns in their own way, not through the echo chambers of party-aligned politicians or distant bureaucrats. They want this critical role, not just when the parliament votes on a matter affecting them, but in the formulation of policy and in the execution of an enacted law. They want engagement at the earliest time that an issue emerges right through to when a law is being implemented by the respective department. And afterwards!
It’s an advisory role – not a veto role – on policy and law. It requires that parliamentarians, ministers (and their departments) engage with them. Consider how all the hundreds of lobbyists operating in the shadows in Canberra have significant impact on law-making and how little scrutiny they are subject to. A Voice body will be visible and subject to constant scrutiny.
There will be a learning curve to negotiate because this is a significant change to how governments and First Nations people interact. But we have had centuries now of failed policy and First Nations peoples’ concerns not being heard. Some short-term disruption is a small price to pay for what our collective conscience needs.
To those who say it’s a waste of money, or that it’s another layer of bureaucracy, I would say that such persons don’t mind when the dice falls in their favour, but not if the dice favours someone else, such as a marginalised group.
At base, does a supposedly harmonious, multicultural society that our politicians keep reminding us of, function appropriately when the original inhabitants continue to experience disadvantage?
The Voice proposal goes to the essence of what an inclusive, compassionate society should be. From the Uluru Statement of the Heart in 2017 to the present it has been advanced with the utmost grace, with a level of trust in Australianism (i.e. the noble version of Australia), that I’ve not witnessed before, and it is asking us to consider and to vote with our conscience.
(I respectfully acknowledge the Guardian article by Natalie Tarman on 29/3/23)
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
