Premier to forge ahead with treaty as state votes No

Annastacia Palaszczuk will forge carefully ahead on a path to treaty with indigenous people amid claims the government made a calculated decision to distance itself from the sinking Yes campaign.

• Editor’s view: Time to unite

Annastacia Palaszczuk will forge carefully ahead on a path to treaty with Indigenous Queenslanders amid claims the government made a calculated decision to distance itself from the sinking Yes campaign in Saturday’s referendum.

Almost 70 per cent of Queenslanders voted No in the nation’s 45th referendum to enshrine an Indigenous Voice in the constitution – significantly higher than the 60 per cent No vote nationally.

Working class and regional electorates held by Queensland Labor MPs such as Ipswich, Logan, Townsville and Cairns were overrun with No ballots while several progressive inner-city seats in the Greens’ sights voted overwhelmingly Yes – creating headaches for the state government and opposition ahead of next year’s election.

Across three Inala booths in the heart of the Premier’s electorate the No vote led the Yes campaign 62 per cent to 37 per cent.

Ms Palaszczuk attended few public events in support of the Yes campaign and on Saturday night skipped its sombre post-referendum event in favour of the nearby Polish Club’s 70th celebrations.

One prominent Labor insider said while a scare campaign by members of the No camp was the cause for the overwhelming defeat, they agreed Ms Palaszczuk had failed to carry the flame for the Yes cause.

They declared senior members of the Palaszczuk government “would have had research” pointing to the dire outcome facing the Yes campaign.

Ms Palaszczuk pledged to push ahead with reconciliation and acknowledged the “strong feedback” from the “Australian people” against an Indigenous Voice.

“Their Voice tells me they’re not ready,” she said. “I respect that. They never get it wrong.”

Ms Palaszczuk said improving the wellbeing of First Nations peoples would continue to be a priority.

“We are a generous nation and we extend our hearts and our hand to all,” she said.

“This wasn’t the right way. I acknowledge the strong feedback.

“But that won’t stop our efforts to bring justice, reconciliation and material improvement to the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at a polling booth on Saturday

Minister For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Leeanne Enoch did not elaborate on Ms Palaszczuk’s response to the referendum, or whether the government would push to legislate a state Voice to Parliament.

A spokesman for Ms Enoch, Queensland’s first Indigenous female MP, confirmed the government would press ahead with its reconciliation plans.

“The Queensland Parliament earlier this year passed historic Path to Treaty legislation, with the bipartisan support of the entire opposition and will continue,” he said.

In the face of the Voice rejection Opposition Leader David Crisafulli on Sunday committed continuing Queensland’s path to treaty and truth-telling if the LNP is elected next October.

“There should be some truth telling about what’s happened in the past and what they’re living through now, and that’s what I’m committed to,” he said.

“What I don’t see is compensation, reparation, right of veto and talk of sovereignty. None of that’s on the agenda.”

Mr Crisafulli denied the LNP’s inner-city state seats of Clayfield and Moggill, held by the Greens at a federal level and in favour of the Yes campaign, were at risk.

“I don’t correlate the referendum vote with voting intention, I genuinely don’t,” he said.

Beattie Labor government minister Robert Schwarten denied the Voice result would raise serious alarm within the Palaszczuk government.

“Some members went out and rattled the can for the referendum and some didn’t,” he said.

“I’ve had many discussions with people over the last six to eight months.

“Labor people all their life didn’t see it as a Labor issue.

“I don’t believe it will knock any bark off Albanese or Palaszczuk.

“I don’t think it will affect her at all.”

Mr Schwarten said the Voice debate was a “diversion” but denied the Labor Party was becoming distracted from issues affecting its working class voter base. “That’s another furphy that has been allowed … it is bullshit,” Mr Schwarten said.

“I don’t think it’s got anything to do with the Labor Party.

“I feel dreadfully sorry for all those Indigenous people who put their hand on their heart and the wheel to try and get a fair go.”

Originally published as Premier to forge ahead with treaty as state votes No