2023 Voice to Parliament referendum: What Gold Coast politicians think

Gold Coast political leaders are divided about the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. We reveal where some of the Coast’s top figures stand.

Gold Coast political leaders are divided about the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.

Support for the constitutional change crosses the political divide, with MPs from both Labor and LNP at a state and federal level speaking passionately in favour of the proposal, which will be put to a vote later this year.

The three federal LNP MPs are standing resolutely against the plan.

Karen Andrews Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Angie Bell

Those MPs – Karen Andrews, Stuart Robert and Angie Bell – are all Opposition frontbenchers and bound to a party room decision last week to reject the proposal.

Coalition backbenchers are not bound to that position and will have a conscience vote.

Ms Andrews said would not actively campaign against the change but supported shadow cabinet’s decision.

“I’m not going to be out there with ‘no’ emblazoned on my shirt between now and the referendum (but) what I will be doing is making sure that everyone I come into contact with, including the people who are in my electorate on the Gold Coast, are aware of the pros and the cons of the proposal that has been put forward,” she said.

“I have a very strong view that I cannot, and I will not support the changes to the Constitution in the terms proposed by Mr. Albanese.

“This is a vote of individuals and what people of Australia deserve is very neutral advice on the ‘yes’ case and the ‘no’ case for a change to our Constitution, and to be able to make that decision based on the facts.”

Stuart Robert Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Justine Elliott.

Ms Bell and Mr Robert both sent the same worded reply that they “fully support the decision of the Opposition to vote no on the current proposed wording”.

The decision has divided the opposition, with indigenous affairs spokesman Julian Leeser this week quitting Peter Dutton’s shadow federal cabinet to support the proposal, which he helped design.

Among those in favour is Tweed-based federal Labor MP Justine Elliott who described the vote as a “long overdue step” which she said was supported by “millions of Australians”.

The Gold Coast’s two youngest state MPs, Labor’s Meaghan Scanlon and the LNP’s Sam O’Connor have both declared their support for the yes vote.

Sam O'Connor

Mr O’Connor said it was a “simple concept but a powerful one which can deliver better outcomes”.

“I believe in constitutional recognition and this is the way that our community through very lengthy years of consultation can give that recognition.”

Ms Scanlon encouraged the community to support the yes vote which she called “an invitation from Indigenous Australians to walk together for a better future”.

Many Gold Coast political leaders say they are yet to decide how they will vote on the issue, including Mayor Tom Tate, and long-serving LNP MPs Rob Molhoek and John-Paul Langbroek.

Rob Molhoek. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

Mr Molhoek is the co-chairman of the Parliamentary Friends of First Nations group, a nonpartisan body formed in 2021 to address issues relating to the Indigenous community.

While having concerns about a lack of detail about elements of the Voice, Mr Molhoek said it was critical for Australians to have a reckoning with the past treatment of the nation’s Indigenous population.

“Certainly when you look at our history there is not a lot we can be proud of in terms of how we have treated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders,” he said.

“My heart says there needs to be an acknowledgment of our history and I am inclined to support the concept of a treaty (with the Indigenous people).

“We need to set the history books straight about the way we treated Indigenous people because this was not our finest hour as a nation”.

SATURDAY: COAST’S INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY SPEAKS OUT.

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