QLD ‘absolutely critical’ to Voice success but conservative leanings a ‘challenge’: Pearson

Queensland will be “absolutely critical” in securing a Yes vote for the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum, one of the key leaders of the campaign says, as he warns conservative leanings in the state will make it “really challenging”.

Queensland will be “absolutely critical” in securing a Yes vote for the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum, with one of the key leaders of the campaign warning conservative leanings in the state will make it “really challenging”.

Indigenous activist and Cape York leader Noel Pearson’s call for “ordinary Queenslanders” to see the Voice as an “opportunity” came as a major Far North Queensland council became one of the first local governments in the state to publicly declare its position.

Cook Shire Council, the largest council in Queensland by area, this week unanimously agreed to support constitutional recognition of First Nation’s peoples and the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Long-time Mayor Peter Scott said the move was important because time was “running out” before the vote at the end of the year to get the information to the community.

“Our bottom line is that we see that the status quo is not working,” he said. “There’s so much detail to be to be worked out, and that is going to be best done and also best presented to the public by local government I believe, because we’re the ones on the ground.”

Indigenous activist and Cape York leader Noel Pearson. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Australian voters will head to the polls at the end of the year for the nation’s first referendum in 20 years and decide if they support enshrining the voice of Indigenous people in the Constitution.

Work to nail down the wording of the referendum question remains underway, with the Yes campaign launching in Adelaide last week and the No campaign ramping up in Western Australia.

In order for the referendum to succeed a “double majority” – a majority of voters in four of six states and national majority of voters – will be needed.

The voice would be an advisory body to government on laws and policy that directly impact First Nations people.

Mr Pearson, whose hometown of Hopevale sits within the Cook Shire, said Queensland was “absolutely critical” to the success of the Voice but warned a “long history” of conservative political representation would be a challenge.

The federal National Party, led by Queenslander David Littleproud, has already come out against the Voice while their Coalition partner, led by fellow Queenslander Peter Dutton, have yet to announce if it is for or against it.