The Voice: CQ community leaders reveal how they’re voting
A number of community leaders have revealed how they will be voting in the lead up to the Voice to Parliament referendum on October 14. SEE THEIR VIEW.
Rockhampton
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rockhampton. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Eligible voters across Australia will head to the polls on October 14 to vote yes or no for the Voice to Parliament in a referendum.
Since Federation in 1901 Australians have voted in referendums to alter the constitution 18 times, which have included 42 separate proposals for change.
Only eight of these have succeeded.
When voters head to the polls this month the question they will have to answer will be:
A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?
We reached out to a number of community leaders and members to get their view on how they are choosing to vote in the referendum.
The publication reached out to several Darumbal people and a Woppaburra organisation for comment.
Discover how some local community leaders intend to vote and why below (listed in no particular order).
Rockhampton MP Barry O’Rourke was unable to provide comment as he is recovering from recent surgery.
Banana Shire Council Mayor Neville Ferrier, Gladstone Regional Council Mayor Matt Burnett and Livingstone Shire Council Mayor Andy Ireland declined to comment on how they were voting.
Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams, Central Highlands Regional Council Mayor Kerry Hayes did not respond before deadline.
Matt Canavan, Queensland Senator
How are you voting? No
Why? I will be voting no to the Voice.
Another bureaucratic body in Canberra will not help improve the lives of Indigenous Australians.
The Voice would divide our nation. Our Constitution is the world’s 10th oldest and it should remain our nation’s founding document that unites us, not divides us.
Brittany Lauga, Keppel MP
How are you voting? Yes
Why? I will be voting yes in the referendum.
We should recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as Australia’s First People in the Constitution.
We should listen to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders about matters that affect them. We’ve got so much to learn after 50,000 years of caring for country.
Michelle Landry, Capricornia MP
How are you voting? No
Why? The Voice has already begun to divide our country and once it’s enshrined in our constitution, it will forever divide our country by race.
This Government have been unable to provide key details about what exactly will be involved to this permanent change to our constitution.
More bureaucracy is not the answer to helping our indigenous communities. The Voice will create more red tape and risk lengthy legal appeals and delays which will create a dysfunctional government.
It will also be extremely costly.
Uncle George James, Darumbal elder
How are you voting? No
Why?
I don’t think it’s necessary to have this referendum because it’s going to cost a lot of money, and I think the way the country is at the moment with the unemployment and no housing, everything’s in a mess, I think the Prime Minister should be spending the money in that area.
Then maybe down the track we can have this referendum and maybe people can understand it a bit better.
As far as I’m concerned, we do have a voice in parliament, we have our state politicians, we have our federal politicians, and if we need anything we can always go to those people and if they don’t come up with the goods that we need we just don’t vote for them.
With this referendum, if it goes through, I believe there’s going to be a little group of people in Canberra that’s advising the Prime Minister about what the rest of us should be doing and that’s a big “no, no” to all our communities, because everybody has their little communities, everybody has their own ideas.
Rose Malone, Darumbal elder
How are you voting? Yes
Why? It is time that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a voice about the future for both our young and old people who have witnessed a lot of change over their lifetimes.
Yes to not forgetting the sacrifices of our old people. Yes to maintaining our culture. Yes to unity for all Australians. Yes for respect and equality. Yes for more kindness.
Yes, I might have a Pollyanna approach, but we have to keep the fire of hope burning for future generations.
Colin Boyce, Flynn MP
How are you voting? No
Why? There is no substantial or detailed explanation of the workings, scope and limits of the Voice or explanation of how this will provide a better outcome for Aboriginal or Torres Strait people or Australians in general.
It will be a Voice for Redfern, not Indigenous communities in rural areas such as Woorabinda.
We are one people, we are one country, we are all equal.
Bryson Head, Callide MP
How are you voting? No
Why? The Voice is being promoted as ‘the’ vehicle to once and for all address entrenched disadvantages in Indigenous communities. This argument outright ignores the fact that the Australian Parliament has more Indigenous parliamentarians than the proportion of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.
Australia needs to have a discussion, but not about enshrining a ‘voice’ in our constitution. We need to have a conversation about the future of our nation, and what we actually want it to look like.
Glenn Butcher, Gladstone MP
How are you voting? Yes
Why? I believe it’s important to recognise the 65,000 years of Indigenous culture in our Constitution.
The Voice is a reasonable proposal. It’s about consulting with Indigenous people and ensuring they have a say in matters affecting their lives. It’s about better decision-making from government and improving outcomes. That is something surely we can agree on.
Stephen Andrew, Mirani MP
How are you voting? No
Why? The Voice will divide us. We are one whole country of Australians, working together to a better future.
Traditional owner groups want to have a say over their own country, and their own people, but it needs to be through duly democratically elected people, not through individuals appointed to a committee by the parliament.
‘Not appropriate’: Bleijie denounces WorkCover board deputy’s ‘slutty nurse’ post
Screenshots of questionable Facebook posts by the Jarrod Bleijie-appointed deputy chair of the WorkCover board have forced the Deputy Premier into a hasty response.
‘Commercial sexual services’: Alleged Qld child molester arrested
A Qld man is in custody facing multiple confronting charges including allegedly obtaining commercial sexual services from a child under the age of 16.