Anthony Albanese issues plea to Australian artists to back Voice to Parliament

Australia’s best known celebrities were in attendance as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged them to support a massive shift.

Anthony Albanese has delivered an impassioned plea to Australian artists, urging them to throw their weight behind the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Singer-songwriter Missy Higgins and actor Rachel Griffiths were among the local stars in the audience at Melbourne’s The Espy hotel on Monday, where the Prime Minister unveiled the nation’s new cultural policy.

Mr Albanese began his speech at the launch of Labor’s national cultural policy by reaffirming his commitment to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full.

“It is a generous, modest and gracious offer from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” Mr Albanese said.

“I would ask the arts community to join with me in urging us to take forward those steps together later this year by joining the campaign for yes, to reconciliation.”

Anthony Albanese urged artists to support the Voice to Parliament. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

The new cultural policy, titled “Revive”, will put First Nations voices at the heart of Australia’s arts and culture.

It comes as Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young argued it would be “devastating” if the nation could not progress the Voice to Parliament, despite facing a split within the minor party.

The Greens will meet later this week to firm up a position on the referendum amid pushback from Indigenous spokeswoman Lidia Thorpe, who suggested she would vote no unless it addressed her concerns about First Nations sovereignty.

Speaking with ABC Radio, Senator Hanson-Young said she was thankful for her colleague’s contribution, but disagreed with the best way forward.

“I want to make sure we can bring as many supporters together as possible to ensure we get this progress. It would be devastating if we didn’t get progress on all three (elements of the Uluru Statement of the Heart),” she said.

Sarah Hanson-Young wants to see progress on the Voice. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Lidia has been upfront with her view and I’m thankful for that … There’s different views across the broader community, across the First Nations community, but we’re all committed to making sure we have progress.

“I don’t want this held up because we can’t get to a good place of working together.”

Asked if Senator Thorpe could continue to hold her portfolio if she were to support a “no” campaign, the South Australian said it was an issue for leader Adam Bandt.

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe had indicated she will not support the Voice. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Valeriu Campan

On Monday, doubters of the Voice to Parliament launched their official “no” campaign.

Spokesman Warren Mundine, a former Labor Party president turned one-time Liberal candidate, revealed they would be pushing for a preamble to be inserted to the constitution to recognise both Indigenous Australians and migrants.

“There’s no doubt that migrants have been key to the formation of modern Australia,” he told ABC Radio.

Mr Mundine refused to say who was funding the “no” campaign amid concerns people would be “bullied” if they came forward.

Originally published as Anthony Albanese issues plea to Australian artists to back Voice to Parliament