Migrant body left ‘totally surprised’ by opponents of the Voice to Parliament

A peak body for migrants in Australia was left confused by a push by opponents to the Voice to Parliament considering it was never consulted.

Australia’s peak body representing people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds says it was left “totally surprised” by a push to broaden the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum to include migrants and refugees.

The committee leading the ‘no’ campaign against Indigenous constitutional recognition on Monday unveiled its alternative proposal, which would acknowledge First Nations people as well as migrants under the slogan, “Recognise a Better Way”.

Businessman and former Labor Party president turned Liberal candidate Warren Mundine is leading the group alongside Country Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.

The group wants a parliamentary committee on the rights of native title holders to be established as well as the “prior occupation” of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as migrants, to be recognised in a preamble to the Constitution instead of the Voice to Parliament.

On Tuesday, Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia raised concerns the proposal was nothing but a “distraction” given it was not consulted before the group announced it plan.

Federation of ethnic communities council of Australia chair, Carlo Carli, said he was left “totally surprised” by the announcement.

“We recently had a major conference, 800 delegates and organisations attended. Overwhelmingly, without dissent, there was support for the Uluru Statement and for the Voice referendum. No-one raised this other issue,” chair Carlo Cali told ABC News Breakfast.

“It’s an interesting issue, may well be one that’s worth debating and discussing but certainly hasn’t been discussed and our concern is that it’s really a distraction.”

He said many migrant communities are “natural allies” to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and raised concern the ‘no’ campaign could be looking to have “communities turn on other … minorities”.

Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the comments from FECCA, adding people will make up their own minds on if the ‘no’ push was a “spoiler attempt”.

“I think that one of the really positive things is the way that Fecca, the chief peak body, has come out very strongly and will be running a campaign in support of recognition and consultation for Indigenous people,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Mundine defended his alternative proposal, suggesting that sometimes people get things they didn’t ask for.

Warren Mundine says a failed referendum won’t kill reconciliation. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“You know my kids, they don’t ask for things and I give it to them,” he told ABC News Breakfast.

“I want to recognise every Australian and the constitution virtually does that now. In fact, anyone who says that Aboriginals aren't in the constitution, they're telling a furphy,” he said.

However, the ‘no’ spokesperson denied a failed referendum would kill off reconciliation in Australia.

“That is … just nonsense. I think that's just a scare tactic by the ‘yes’ campaign,” adding he was committed to reconciliation.

While the ‘no’ campaign officially launched on Monday, the ‘yes’ group does not plan to formally start campaigning until late February.

The referendum is expected to be held in the second half of the year.