‘Take it or leave it’ a risky approach on voice, says Josh Frydenberg

Josh Frydenberg has urged supporters of an Indigenous voice to parliament not to adopt a ‘take it or leave it’ approach.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Josh Frydenberg has urged supporters of an Indigenous voice to parliament not to adopt a “take it or leave it” approach, saying the formation of the Aboriginal advisory body needs to be bipartisan and subject to negotiation.

The Treasurer would not ­endorse enshrining the voice in the Constitution as called for by ­Indigenous leaders in the Uluru Statement from the Heart – a position backed by Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and South Australian Premier Steven ­Marshall.

“We know how difficult it is to get constitutional change through in our parliament and our ­country,” Mr Frydenberg said at the virtual Melbourne book launch of Senator Bragg’s book, Buraadja.

The book makes the case for the Liberal Party to support a constitutionally enshrined voice.

“We need that double majority of voters and states.”

Scott Morrison is pursuing a “voice to government” that would be created through legislation, but has rejected holding a referendum to enshrine it in the Constitution. Noel Pearson is among Indigenous leaders who have flagged ­opposition to a legislated version of the voice that is not protected by constitutional enshrinement.

However, Mr Frydenberg warned supporters of the voice against being inflexible, arguing it would be no easy task creating the body through legislation.

“Legislative change is difficult too,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“We’ve really got to focus on what unites us here and not what divides us.

“And what we need to do is ­ensure that the change, whatever form it takes, is bipartisan. You don’t get many chances of this. And you need to take the public with you.

“And that’s why it needs to be subject to negotiation (and) consultation. There needs to be flexibility, because if this proposition in the voice is a ‘take it or leave it’, I don’t think it necessarily advances in the way that some people would like it to do.

“And this is the reality that we have to shake. And this is where we have to work through the issue.”

A panel of experts, led by Indigenous leaders Marcia Langton and Tom Calma, last month ­delivered a final report to the government recommending the ­design principles for a legislated voice.

Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt has backed away from a commitment to legislate the body within this term of ­parliament.

Mr Frydenberg praised Senator Bragg’s book for championing the Coalition’s commitment to Indigenous affairs, noting former conservative prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott backed recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the ­Constitution. “Andrew points out in this book that liberalism and ­Indigenous affairs are not in a permanent state of conflict,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“You (Senator Bragg) reference our party’s founder, Sir Robert Menzies, and he specifically talked about the Liberal Party as being a progressive party.

“That’s why he took the name Liberal, because we weren’t a reactionary party.

“And you want to couch it in terms of the great Liberal tradition of being progressive, from Menzies to Morrison.”