Prime Minister Anthony Albanese makes historic move on Indigenous Voice at Garma Festival

Anthony Albanese has asked Australians to recognise a referendum to enshrine an Indigenous Voice in the constitution as a step in the nation’s journey of healing at a landmark speech in the Northern Territory.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he believes Australians are ready for a referendum to enshrine an Indigenous Voice in the nation’s constitution.

Giving a landmark speech at the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory on Saturday, Mr Albanese said he hoped all parties would seize the momentum and settle – as soon as possible – on the referendum question that will be put to the people of Australia.

Mr Albanese went further to say a “Voice enshrined in the Constitution cannot be silenced”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Garma Festival in the NT on Saturday.

The PM called on the nation to engage in the process and think about a simple question:

“We should consider asking our fellow Australians something as simple as: Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?”

Describing the referendum as “a straightforward proposition, a simple principle and a question from the heart, Mr Albanese said the question could form as the basis for further consultation.

“We can use this question – and the provisions – as the basis for further consultation,” he said.

“Not as a final decision but as the basis for dialogue, something to give the conversation shape and direction.

“I ask all Australians of goodwill to engage on this.”

In 15 words, Mr Albanese outlined his hopes to heal the relationship between government and First Nations people following 200 years “of broken promises and betrayals, failures and false starts”.

“There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice”, is one of three sentences that will be added to the Constitution, if a referendum to enshrine the rights of First Nations people is supported by Australians.

It will allow a group of Indigenous people to have a say about the laws and policies that impact their communities.

The Prime Minister has promised to hold a referendum in the first term of government, possibly to be held as early as next year, but up until now, the wording of it has been unclear.

In a speech at the Garma Festival on Saturday, Mr Albanese will outline for the first time what the wording will look like.

The other two sentences refer to the Voice being able to make representations to Parliament and the Executive Government and the Parliament having the power to make laws with respect to the composition, functions, powers and procedures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

“Writing the Voice into the Constitution means a willingness to listen won’t depend on who is in government or who is Prime Minister,” Mr Albanese will say.

“The Voice will exist and endure outside of the ups and downs of election cycles and the weakness of short-term politics. It will be an unflinching source of advice and accountability.

“Not a third chamber, not a rolling veto, not a blank cheque.

“But a body with the perspective and the power and the platform to tell the government and the parliament the truth about what is working and what is not.”

Indigenous campaigners have been fighting for decades to have more of a say in the laws and policies that effect them.

Indigenous campaigner Dean Parkin. Picture: Liam Kidston

From the Heart campaign director Dean Parkin said allowing Indigenous people to have a say will help to close the gap on issues such as education, health, children in out of home care, family violence and deaths in custody.

“Women in particular have been trying to have their voices heard on these really complex issues,” Mr Parkin said.

“The thing that has been missing is listening to these voices.”

Mr Parkin said it would also lead to “more accountability in the money spent in our name making sure it’s having the impact that it says it’s going to have”.

However, there are differing views within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities about the proposal for a Voice.

Indigenous leaders from both sides of politics have argued that getting more Indigenous MPs in Parliament was a better way to represent the community than a non-binding panel.

Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said in her maiden speech to the Senate on Monday that she was against “pointless virtue signalling” and said tackling the issues such as housing, women’s safety and economic development in Indigenous communities was a higher priority than a Voice.

“This government has yet to demonstrate how this proposed Voice will deliver practical outcomes and unite rather than drive a wedge further between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia,” Senator Price said.

Labor Senator Pat Dodson, left, has been appointed to build a consensus in the run up to the referendum. Picture: Getty Images

The 47th Parliament has 11 First Nations members, the highest ever.

Mr Parkin said he respected Senator Price, but polling showed there was a huge amount of goodwill for a Voice, with more than half of the Australian population supportive of it, although a quarter was still to “fully engage with this issue”.

However, the last successful referendum was in 1977 involving the rather less interesting change of adding retiring ages for judges.

All eight other referendums held since then have not been carried, including whether or not Australia should become a republic.

Mr Albanese has charged Labor Senator Pat Dodson with building a consensus in the run up to the referendum.

His spokesman told News Corp that the government would not be rushed on the timing of the referendum.

Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese makes historic move on Indigenous Voice at Garma Festival