‘South Africa must be scratching its brow’: Victorian Liberal MP pens anti-Voice opinion

A Victorian upper house Liberal MP has likened an Indigenous Voice to parliament to racial divisions in South Africa, saying it will divide the nation on colour alone.

The opinion piece highlights the challenge Opposition Leader John Pesutto has in keeping his party room united ahead of a looming debate on constitutional reform.

Liberal MP Beverley McArthur.Credit: Eddie Jim

Western Victoria MP Beverley McArthur, from the party’s right faction, published an opinion piece in the conservative Spectator Australia magazine on Friday titled “We are all Indigenous somewhere”.

In the op-ed, McArthur writes that a constitutionally enshrined Voice “divides on colour” and that the body would become a legal and legislative nightmare.

“Having provided an example to avoid, South Africa must be looking across the waters, scratching its brow, and wondering why a modern nation would choose this thing,” she writes.

Pesutto on Thursday said he expected the Victorian opposition to formalise its position on a federal Voice to Parliament by the end of May. Liberal MPs are expecting to hold a party room debate on the issue in the weeks after they return from the Easter holidays.

First-term Kew MP Jess Wilson this week confirmed she was leaning towards supporting the Yes campaign.

Pesutto, who holds the neighbouring electorate of Hawthorn and is also from the party’s moderate faction, has not yet revealed his position because he wants all members of his party room to “feel they can engage in the debate, whatever their viewpoints might be”.

Asked on Thursday why he wanted the state opposition to formalise a position on a federal issue – something that was not done for the same-sex marriage plebiscite – Pesutto said: “The nature of this debate has been such that I think there is a public expectation that as a party we will arrive at a consensus decision.”

He said it was important for everyone, no matter their position, to be respectful when prosecuting their arguments.

In a statement, McArthur said she was supportive of Pesutto’s call for a calm and courteous debate.

“My contribution was to call for a debate on the serious issue of changing our constitution, without personal smears, political sniping or media hype, and to ensure that every Australian feels able to express their own point of view on the significant matter of changing our constitution,” she said.

There is strong opposition to a constitutionally enshrined voice within the Liberal party room, according to more than a third of MPs who spoke to The Age on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss internal party matters.

Some MPs believe the state opposition doesn’t need to arrive at a formal position. Others say they don’t mind coming to a consensus on a national issue but have lingering concerns about constitutional reform and whether the federal government will constantly be dragged to the High Court.

“What does [a national Voice] mean for decision-making in Victoria?” one MP asked. “What difference is this going to make [to people’s lives]? You’re racist if you ask the questions. Those prosecuting these arguments need to give us some answers ... and a level of comfort.”

Another MP said: “To have people voting on something before they understand the detail is wrong.”

The federal government hopes the Voice will be an advisory body comprised of Indigenous people expressing their views to federal MPs on policy and legislation that would affect First Nations communities.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says the Coalition supports local and regional voices and the acknowledgement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the constitution, but is against a “Canberra Voice”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the Voice will make a material difference in people’s lives and that it’s good manners to ask people for their views on legislation if it affects them.

Premier Daniel Andrews has labelled the federal Liberals a “mean, nasty outfit” for opposing a constitutionally enshrined Voice to parliament. Former shadow-attorney-general Julian Leeser quit the opposition frontbench this week in order to campaign for a Yes vote.

The latest Resolve Political Monitor estimated that support for a Voice was at just over 60 per cent in Victoria. However, pollsters expect that figure to drop as the referendum – expected to be held in October – draws closer.

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