Linda Burney ‘more determined than ever’ after Indigenous voice to parliament defeat

The Indigenous Australians Minister says she’s ‘more determined than ever’ in the wake of the defeat of the Voice.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has ruled out resigning in the wake of the resounding defeat of the Voice to Parliament referendum.

Ms Burney, who was visibly emotional on Saturday night when she addressed the nation after Australians voted No, told NITV she was “more determined than ever” to fight for Indigenous Australians.

“The toll of course is there. But the toll is there for a lot of people,” she said.

“Remembering that this has been a life work of some people, but I can tell you this, that in the midst of the devastating outcome on the weekend, I am more determined than ever to pursue the issues that have been made clear – things like reforming the community development program, for example, justice reinvestment.

“Taking on board what's happened, but the fire of determination is well and truly there.”

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney says she is ‘more determined than ever’ to stay in politics after the referendum was defeated. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Meanwhile, her Indigenous Labor colleague said racism was “absolutely a feature” of the voice to parliament campaign and had been experienced by many, rebuffing claims made by leading No campaigners.

Senator Jana Stewart – the youngest First Nations woman to be elected in parliament – said the way the No campaign had been run had emboldened people to say things they otherwise wouldn’t have, particularly on social media.

She said she herself had been “liberal with the block and delete function” during the campaign.

When the referendum was defeated on Saturday night, leading No campaigner Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said the result did not mean Australia was racist.

“It’s time to stop feeding into a narrative that promotes racial divide, a narrative that claims to try to stamp out racism but applies racism in doing so and encourages a racist over reaction. Yes, it is time for some truth-telling,” Senator Price said.

On Wednesday, Senator Stewart said to deny the role of racism would be to deny “lots of First Nations people’s experience through the referendum campaign”.

Jana Stewart wore a gown embroidered with the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“I think that it absolutely was a feature of the campaign for lots of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” she told ABC Radio.

“I think it really did embolden a whole lot of people to say things that they wouldn’t have otherwise said.

“That’s not to say that every person who wrote ‘no’ on the ballot paper is racist. I think lots of people went into the ballot box with fear instead of fact, and I think that’s an incredibly sad outcome for the referendum.

“I really hope that Trumpian-style politics don’t become a regular feature of our political campaigns here in Australia.”

Senator Stewart said in her “personal view” racism had always been there, and the referendum had “brought it out”.

Senator Stewart and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price were fierce opponents during the campaign. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Moving ahead, she said there was a real opportunity to “do something about it”.

Late on Tuesday night, Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour addressed the House of Representatives, saying the referendum’s failure showed the “terra nullius view … is alive and well”.

“The views of ‘Let’s pour scorn on Welcome to Country’ is in effect saying that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders may well have been here before colonisation, but that shouldn’t give them any ongoing or contemporary rights and status as first peoples – whether in relation to their traditional lands or anything else,” she said.

“That is basically the terra nullius view, and it is alive and well. This referendum has revealed some fault lines, and we are going to have to address them.”

Ms Scrymgour also spoke about how “aggrieved and disappointed” she was that Senator Nampijinpa Price and senator Lidia Thorpe had “each purported to speak on behalf of First Peoples communities in Lingiari”.

“I am looking forward to going back out and saying we have to build this country into a better country. I look forward to making sure that Aboriginal people take their rightful place in this country,” she said.

After the referendum was defeated, questions are now turning to what the Albanese government does next in terms of practical outcomes to close the gap.

As Indigenous Yes leaders carry out a week of mourning, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is demanding Anthony Albanese “come clean” on whether his commitment to the Uluru Statement from the Heart “in full” still stands.

The statement called for a constitutionally enshrined voice – which was voted down by the Australian public – and a Makarrata commission.

Mr Dutton said Australians deserved to know if their taxpayer dollars would go towards truth and treaty.

Senator Nampijinpa Price, with Mr Dutton’s support, had argued that the government should instead launch a royal commission into child abuse in remote Indigenous communities and an audit on all spending on Indigenous affairs.

Senator Nampijinpa Price moved an urgency motion in the Senate late on Tuesday, calling for the government to commit to those practical actions.

That suggestion was shut down by Labor.