When Anthony Albanese confirmed a Voice referendum at the Garma Festival 12 months ago, the Arnhem Land air seemed full of optimism. Since then, things have not been going well, writes Laura Tingle.
Illustrating the point, the Nationals questions this week were trying to tie the Voice to the government's proposed legislation to protect cultural heritage which arose from the 2020 destruction of Juukan Gorge, a 46,000-year-old sacred site with Nationals backbencher David Gillespie asking Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to "commit to publicly releasing details of the proposed federal cultural heritage reforms prior to the referendum on the Voice to Parliament".
It is not controlling the debate and the ambivalence of the PM about leading the debate – on the basis that it should be a discussion amongst Australians, not politicians – has not helped. Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney has avoided some questions about the Voice but said "Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle".
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