SA Voice to press ahead despite South Australia’s No vote in federal referendum

SA has voted decisively against the federal Voice to Parliament – but the state government says there is “zero prospect” the state Voice will be repealed.

There is “zero prospect” that South Australia’s legislated Voice to Parliament will be repealed in light of the federal referendum result, the state government says.

Implementation of the state Voice, which passed the parliament earlier this year, was delayed until 2024 to distance it from the discussion around a federal model.

Following South Australia’s rejection of the federal Voice 64-36, One Nation MLC Sarah Game has already flagged she will introduce a bill to state parliament this week that would repeal the state Voice. Opposition Leader David Speirs said his party would assess whether the legislation has the support of South Australians.

But Premier Peter Malinauskas and Attorney-General Kyam Maher both said on Sunday there would be no change to the rollout of the state Voice.

Mr Malinauskas said the state model was very different to what was being proposed in the referendum.

Kyam Maher and Dale Agius in Victoria Square on Sunday. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“The state parliament has legislated for this, it was a proposition that had that bipartisan support in the past. So it will roll out and I think it will be largely non-controversial,” he said.

“This will be a non-binding advisory committee – it’s not enshrined in the constitution, it’s established through legislation.”

Attorney-General Kyam Maher said “of course” it was disappointing of hear of plans to repeal the legislation.

But he said he has spoken to members of the Legislative Council who voted in favour of the state Voice and received assurances they are committed to seeing it through.

“As I’ve said, there actually is zero prospect of this being repealed,” he said.

Mr Maher said “even the most vocal opponents” of the federal Voice have talked about the importance of local voices.

“Many opponents have talked about the need to set up local Voice … and that’s exactly what we're doing in South Australia,” he said.

Mr Maher said a series of local voices will be elected on March 16 next year by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

SA Voice Commissioner Dale Agius said the feedback he has received from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities about the state Voice has been positive.

Mr Speirs said South Australia’s rejection of the federal Voice meant there would be “misgivings” around the state Voice too.

He said the opposition would consider the result over the coming days and formulate a position “as to how we move forward in the state Voice”.

“I’ve always said we’re very open to amending this legislation should it be deemed not be working,” he said.

“That might include, should we conclude that South Australians don’t want this state Voice.

“They clearly don’t want a federal Voice – do they want a state Voice either and I think they’d be immensely surprised to know that we’ve actually got a legislated state Voice here in South Australia.”

Originally published as SA Voice to press ahead despite South Australia’s No vote in federal referendum