James Campbell: Jacinta Allan a lone voice in believing Vic public is still open to the idea of a local version of proposal killed off by referendum

After 54.15 per cent of Victorians rejected the Albanese government’s plan to include an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the federal constitution, the only person who seems to think the public is still open to the idea of a local version appears to be Jacinta Allan.

Almost two years ago, more than 60 per cent of Australian voters including 54.15 per cent of Victorians rejected the Albanese government’s plan to include an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the federal constitution.

So sound was the rejection that it also killed off any chance that a future government will seek to create a Voice through legislation.

The only person who seems to think the public is still open to the idea would seem to be Jacinta Allan.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan believes Victorians may be open to a local version of the Voice. Picture: Valeriu Campan

In response to the Herald Sun’s revelation that she plans later this year to legislate to make the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria permanent and effectively a Victorian Voice, the Premier refused to accept that the 2023 referendum showed the people have already spoken.

“The key difference to the referendum that was put nationwide a couple of years ago, is that was about changing the constitution,” she said.

Leaving aside the fact that by “sitting” the Assembly “into our existing parliamentary structures” Allan is altering the state’s constitution in fact if not in name, no one seriously believes the Voice was only rejected because Anthony Albanese was trying to insert it into the constitution.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pushed for a YES vote at the Voice referendum. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The No case advocates triumphed for a number of reasons, not least because they were able to convince Australians the Voice would be divisive.

There is no reason to believe that having said No to an Australian Voice, Victorians would be any more welcoming of a local version.

Yet if Allan gets her way, by the time we vote next year not only will it be law, so will the rest of whatever the Premier has agreed in Labor’s Treaty negotiations which are currently being carried on secret.

Brad Battin reiterated on Monday the Coalition will not support a Treaty or a Voice to parliament.

He should promise that if he wins next year’s election he will hold a referendum to allow Victorians to have their say on whatever Jacinta Allan’s government has signed us up to.