Crossbenchers would support Indigenous voice referendum

Crossbenchers Jacqui Lambie, Andrew Wilkie and Zali Steggall say they would back a referendum on a national Indigenous voice.

Crossbenchers Jacqui Lambie, Andrew Wilkie and Zali Steggall have confirmed they would back a referendum in the next term of government on the question of whether the constitution should be amended to include a reference to the Indigenous voice.

High-profile independent candidates supported by Climate 200 – including some in tight contests with Liberal MPs – have also told The Australian they want a referendum on the Indigenous voice in the next term of government.

Labor has pledged that an Albanese government would pursue a referendum on the Indigenous voice in its first term.

The Morrison government made no commitment to enshrine the voice in the constitution at the 2019 election but kept its promise to fund a design process to establish what the voice would look like.

Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt appointed Indigenous academics and leaders Marcia Langton and Tom Calma to oversee this work.

Marcia Langton. Picture: David Geraghty

Tom Calma. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

Their final report, accepted by cabinet, recommends 35 local and regional voices chosen by the communities they represent.

A national voice, selected from members of the 35 smaller voices, would provide non-binding advice to parliament and government on matters that overwhelmingly affect Indigenous Australians.

The national voice would have no power of veto over legislation, the final report says.

Mr Wilkie told The Australian: “I believe the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution should be dealt with in the next parliament.”

Ms Steggall said: “I absolutely support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and I really believe the time is right for Australia to hold a referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament”.

Through a spokeswoman, Ms Lambie confirmed she also wanted a voice referendum in the first term.

The voice proposal is the first of three priorities in the Uluru Statement from the Heart that was released by 250 Indigenous delegates on May 17, 2017.

It followed years of work on how the constitution should or could be amended to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Independent MP Zali Steggall supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Picture: Supplied

The document followed talks with about 1100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia.

Climate 200 convener Simon Holmes a Court, whose organisation backs 21 independent candidates in the May 21 Federal election, told The Australian he was personally a strong supporter of the Uluru Statement and believed that Indigenous Australians should have a constitutionally-enshrined voice to parliament.

Mr Holmes a Court said he believed most if not all of the candidates backed by Climate 200 were also in favour of the Uluru Statement.

Among key independents who support a referendum on a voice in the next term is Kate Chaney, who is in a tight contest for the West Australian seat of Curtin held by Liberal Celia Hammond.

“I support a referendum to enshrine a First Nations voice to parliament in our Constitution in the next federal term,” Ms Chaney told The Australian.

“I believe this has broad community support. Not every aspect needs to be mandated, but Constitutional protection is the first step and we should be able to get there in the next three years.

Independent Monique Ryan, who is challenging treasurer Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong, said she wholeheartedly supported the reforms called for in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and would like to see this happen as soon as possible.

Independent Dr Monique Ryan. Picture: Ian Currie

Independent candidate for Wentworth, Allegra Spender. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Allegra Spender, who is challenging David Sharma in Wentworth, told The Australian: ““I support an Indigenous Voice to parliament enshrined in the constitution. The Uluru Statement from the Heart is one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have read, and I encourage all who have not read it yet to do so.”

Former ABC journalist Zoe Daniel, who is challenging Liberal Tim Wilson in Goldstein, also said she would support a referendum on the question of a constitutionally-enshrined Indigenous voice in the first term of the next government.

“In conjunction with that process, I support an extensive national education campaign ahead of the referendum, so that all Australians have a clear understanding of what they are voting for, and what it will mean for our First Nations people and our nation as a whole,” Ms Daniel told The Australian.

The Greens initially supported the Uluru Statement from the Heart and considered a referendum on the voice was urgent. However the party has since decided it wants a truth telling commission and a national treaty before a voice is constitutionally enshrined.