The Voice to parliament: Parramatta Council chaos after calls for community forums

The polarising Voice proposal has flared up inside a western Sydney council chamber, where a councillor slammed a plan to host forums on the issue as “smacking of a dictatorship”.

Parramatta Council will host forums to discuss the Voice.

A Parramatta councillor has slammed a proposal from the city’s mayor to shine a light on the Voice and labelled the issue’s presence in local government as “airy-fairy political dictatorship”.

During a fiery council meeting this week, independent councillor Lorraine Wearne blasted a suggestion from Labor Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey to support open discussion about The Voice ahead of the referendum late this year by hosting forums.

Cr Pandey’s mayoral minute suggested the council waive hire fees up to $10,000 for council venues to facilitate forums on the proposed change.

It also stated the council “support the proposed change to The Constitution”, which prompted Cr Wearne to unleash her criticism.

“I think it’s total arrogance of this council to try and tell people of this city what to do and that is what we’re doing if we express a position on the Voice,’’ she said.

The Voice referendum will be held between October and December.

“That is not our role, it’s not what our communities elected us to do. The Voice, unfortunately, has become a political football. Labor and Liberal kick left and right and then we all kick back again.’’

Cr Wearne said the Voice undermined the 808-year-old Magna Carta, which declared equal rights for all.

She said Australians were cautious about change and indigenous Australians had still not endorsed a position on the Voice.

“It’s the greatest load of airy political salesmanship going on in this country at the moment,’’ she said.

She reminded the chamber that it should not be discussed in local government.

“We are saying to the 355,000 people in Parramatta that we as a council are telling you you should all vote yes,’’ she said.

“I’m sorry but that’s the height of arrogance, that smacks of a dictatorship. We’re not here to tell our communities what to do, we’re here to do what they tell us.’’

Our Local Community councillor Michelle Garrard said local government did not need to get involved in a campaign. “Everybody knows the vote’s coming,’’ she said.

“There is a lack of information and a lack of understanding of what it means, but I don’t believe this forum is a forum to debate a for and against.’’

Epping ward independent councillor Lorraine Wearne doesn’t want the Voice discussed at councils.

Parramatta Lord Mayor Sameer Pandey says the community needs to be informed about the Voice. Picture: Ben Williams Photography

However the mayor’s proposal was endorsed by the Labor-dominated council.

Labor Deputy Lord Mayor Cameron Maclean defended the minute as balanced and non doctrine.

“We ourselves in this chamber do not regards ourselves as a dictatorship and in passing this Lord Mayor minute, we will not be bounding the people of this LGA on how they should vote,’’ he said.

“We will not be saying to residents if you must vote for the referendum or else you’ll be ostracised from the LGA - people are quite free to vote in the way they see fit.’’

He and Labor’s Cr Paul Noack told the chamber the Voice was about an advisory body and it would not elevate the rights of another group.

Greens councillor Phil Bradley said First Nations people still encountered serious deficits in education, health, jobs and housing compared with other Australians.

“There is enormous gaps in life expectancy still for our First Nations people - some 10 years approximately,’’ he said.

“It’s about time we tried to level up the playing field - not to try to make it unfair but to give our First Nations people a reasonable opportunity to express their voice.’’

Cr Pandey maintained the Voice a significant event for everyone and his proposal would help the public make informed decisions.

Along with Cr Pandey, Labor councillors Maclean, Noack, Ange Humphries and Patricia Prociv; and independent Kellie Darley and Greens’ Cr Bradley, supported the motion.

Opposing it along with Cr Wearne were independent Georgina Valjak, and Our Local Community’s Dan Siviero, Donna Wang, Michelle Garrard and Henry Green.