Katter Australia Party won’t vote yes on Voice to parliament, but Yarrabah mayor said they’re ‘on the wrong side of history’
The Katter Australia Party announced they won’t support the Voice to parliament, with leader Robbie Katter insisting not one First Nations person had brought up the issue with him.
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The Katter Australia Party has declared it will not support the Indigenous Voice to parliament claiming it is a "distraction” to wider issues.
The Voice would advise parliament and the federal government on Indigenous policy issues, such as education, health and social matters and while it could table documents and formal advice to parliament on First Nations issues.
Several MPs including KAP leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter, Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter, KAP deputy leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto and Hill MP Shane Knuth confirmed their opposition to the proposed reform on Friday.
Robbie Katter said he believed it was not an answer to the many issues facing remote indigenous communities.
“We have been told the Voice to parliament is a panacea to all these solutions which seems fairly opaque,” he said.
“Right now the Voice as it is presented is paternalistic, separatistic and tokenistic.
“There are some very serious problems to fix in these communities.”
Mr Katter junior said the KAP believed in a unified Australia and could not reconcile the Voice as being consistent with this vision.
“We think we (KAP) are a pretty effective voice and we see this (Voice) as a distraction.
“We don’t see it as being of benefit … it is being a distraction to the real problems that need solving, we are in the trenches now.”
Mr Katter said no one in his electorate had raised the Voice with him.
“I can certainly say this has not come up in one constituent meeting, I would have two or three in my office a week with First Australians,” he said.
But Yarrabah mayor Ross Andrews said the KAP’s announcement was out of touch with his community.
“It’s disappointing considering the federal electorate of Leichardt and Traeger consist of many First Nations communities,” he said.
“You really want to be on the right side of history not the wrong side.
“Having the Voice to parliament enshrined in the constitution will allow Indigenous people to have a say on matters affecting our communities and our people.
“It’s disappointing to the hear the KAP is not supporting First Nations people.”
Responding to the Katter’s stance, Senator Nita Green said “constitutional recognition through a Voice would improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians”.
She said the Voice was about recognition and consultation, recognition within the constitution and consultation with communities.
“I visited Yarrabah last week, community leaders know first-hand how community-led programs with real community consultation have better outcomes,” she said.
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Originally published as Katter Australia Party won’t vote yes on Voice to parliament, but Yarrabah mayor said they’re ‘on the wrong side of history’
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