Anthony Albanese and Ben Fordham clash in Voice to Parliament interview
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and broadcaster Ben Fordham have clashed while discussing the Voice to Parliament on radio this morning.
NSW
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has had a fiery clash on breakfast radio, accusing 2GB heavyweight Ben Fordham of reading quotes from the Voice to Parliament No campaign pamphlet.
The heated interview came amid tanking support for the Voice proposal with Mr Albanese repeatedly defending his decision to take the issue to a referendum despite the government being able to overrule any advice the Voice may provide.
Mr Albanese told the radio personality to “get on board” after Mr Fordham outlined issues with the Voice that has seen support for the proposal rapidly tanking.
“Read the question which you are going to be asked about … it’s not about treaty, it’s not about compensation, it’s just about listening,” he said.
When asked if the Voice would have direct access to the Reserve Bank as claimed by Voice architect Megan Davies — Mr Albanese said the host was quoting comments from the No pamphlet before later clarifying that he meant the quote was featured in the pamphlet.
The swipe prompted Mr Fordham to hit back “Excuse me, Prime Minister … I am not reading from the no pamphlet. I’m reading from my own questions that I have written.”
Mr Albanese also questioned if Australians will vote for the constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.
He defended himself against claims he was risking better outcomes for Indigenous Australians by refusing to separate constitutional recognition from the Voice referendum question — risking both proposals failing.
Morning interview with Ben Fordham in the @2GB873 studios. pic.twitter.com/yhpauRydTD
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 18, 2023
On Tuesday, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price reiterated the key messages in the No pamphlet she helped write, saying she would be very happy to debate Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney.
The pamphlet Senator Price oversaw is the work of federal MPs who oppose a constitutionally enshrined Voice and it will be delivered to every household in Australia.
MPs who support the Voice wrote the Yes pamphlet, also to be delivered by the Australian Electoral Commission.
The Yes pamphlet describes the Voice as a form of recognition that is about “listening to advice from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about matters that affect their lives, so governments make better decisions”.
The No pamphlet describes the proposition as risky, unknown, divisive and permanent.
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