Nationals leader David Littleproud on why the Voice won’t work; Michelle Levy pans Canberra’s financial advice response; Blinken in China. Follow updates here.
Nationals leader David Littleproud says a Voice to Parliament would add another “layer of Canberra bureaucracy” to attempts to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians.
Ahead of the Senate passing legislation on Monday that will trigger the referendum to be held, he says a better approach would be empowering local communities. But responding to the sharp criticism that the Coalition spent a decade in power and did not establish such an approach while progress on Closing the Gap targets worsened, Littleproud was frank.
“We failed,” he told ABC radio’s RN Breakfast. “I’m not afraid to put my hand up and say governments of all persuasions in the past have failed on this.”Littleproud says governments have “poured billions” into schemes aimed at improving the lives of Indigenous Australians and solving entrenched disadvantage.After the passing of the legislation in the Senate, the next step towards a referendum will be the creation of a Yes and No pamphlet to be sent to all households.
Politicians who vote against the legislation will have the chance to contribute to the No pamphlet, meaning the Nationals’ 21 MPs will be the dominant authors, alongside others such as Pauline Hanson.On Liberal leader Peter Dutton’s assertion that the Voice will “re-racialise” Australia, Littleproud said he “does not support those sort of words”.
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