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State has no business distinguishing between citizens

What a stimulating edition of The Australian (2/8) to add to a memorable night on ABC TV, first with the 7.30 program (with Noel Pearson) and then Q&A at Garma (led by Stan Grant with a stunning panel of First Australians). Your editorial (“Lack of detail on voice is risky”) gives us the key background plus questions to make the voice referendum a success. Your letter from a wise “old man”, Malcolm Price, adds sentiments with which this “old whitefella” wholeheartedly agrees.

I spent nine years in Central Australia as a scientist in the 1970s. In those days there was an urgency to prepare Aboriginal outstations on traditional country so as to do away with the awful government settlements where different tribes were confined and drowned their sorrows with whitefella grog and where violence, police intervention and a breakdown of senior cultural discipline prevailed.

Into this hopelessness, to our surprise, came a top, retired public servant, the famous HC (Nugget) Coombs. He would go out bush to talk to traditional owners of country, to ask for their advice, their ways. He would then get together all the “government men” in Alice Springs and pass on his findings. His aim was to make people-oriented, authentic improvements.

Some succeeded, some failed – because of town-centred bureaucratic inefficiencies. I thought of Nugget when I listened to the courageous new senator Jacinta Price, who argued against the trend such as a new voice bureaucracy. The Coombs philosophy was listen to the elders and avoid repeating past, self-destructive mistakes.

Colin Lendon, Cook, NSW

Greg Sheridan’s article (“Enshrined voice betrays ideals of liberalism”, 2/8) did not extend far enough, to the elephant in the room. The Constitution defines citizenship and the relation of citizens to the nation. A voice created by amendment to the Constitution will create two classes of citizens, one class with a right and a benefit and another class lacking these features. The separation of classes will be based on who citizens are, not on the situation they are in, and, furthermore, will be based on race, however that is defined. Splitting citizens into two classes will be viewed by some as a first step into splitting Australia into two nations.

If non-Indigenous Australians come to feel that they are racially determined second-class citizens and that Australia is not a unity, not only will the referendum fail but the process of reconciliation will falter. Far better for parliament to create the voice – it already has the power – and for reconciliation to be sought by other means.

Alec Morley, Toorak, Vic

Do-gooders who search for division so they may display their own understanding and generosity of spirit would do well to study senator Jacinta Price’s brilliant first speech (27/7) and Greg Sheridan’s “Enshrined voice betrays ideals of liberalism”.

Price said “when cultures collide … often, those who are left behind become more marginalised and are preyed upon by many opportunists for monetary gain, power and control”. How true. Sheridan rightly extols equality, propounding that the state has no business distinguishing one citizen from another by ethnicity, heritage or gender.

Peter R. Graham, Sydney, NSW

The last thing Indigenous Australians need is yet another expensive Canberra talkfest. There are already sufficient elected Aboriginal members of parliament. There is no reason they can’t put together a committee of people for the voice to parliament.

What is really needed is a meaningful voice to the Aboriginal elders in remote and warring communities. Get them to see the benefits of educating their children and pulling their men into line over alcohol and domestic violence. Ask them what help they need for their communities and supply it.

Marian Hinwood, Elsternwick, Vic

Greg Sheridan, our First Nation people are different from everyone else. Between 1898 and 1900, only one race was excluded from voting in the referendum on the creation of the Australian federation – the original settlers of this continent. They are therefore not bound by this contract, which is what our Constitution is.

The voice is a belated opportunity to make amends for a history of illiberalism towards our First Nation people.

Harry Blutstein, Northcote, Vic

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/letters/state-has-no-business-distinguishing-between-citizens/news-story/0312d45b0138f873c23e76957cc45e7f