Voters get preview before Indigenous voice referendum

Australians will receive a preview of how an Indigenous voice would operate when the SA parliament creates its own legislated voice ­before the national referendum later this year.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Australians will receive a preview of how an Indigenous voice would operate when the South Australian parliament creates its own legislated voice ­before the national referendum later this year.

Premier Peter Malinauskas will release full details on Tuesday of his proposed First Nations voice to parliament, which he says will scotch criticisms of the proposal and drive support for a national Yes vote.

While the state opposition has not announced its position on the bill, the legislation is set to pass ­regardless, with the Greens and upper house independents pledging support.

The cost of the voice to South Australian taxpayers is $10m to cover the cost of elections to elect 46 delegates to seven local and one statewide voice, with voters required to declare their Aboriginality to the State Electoral Commission.

The $10m will also fund a ­stipend to voice delegates for their work, details of which are not contained in the 36-page bill but which government sources say will be based on a “lower end” board ­appointment to cover their costs.

Voice delegates will have the power to address the House of ­Assembly and the Legislative Council on any bill they deem to be of interest.

And amid calls from Indigenous elder statesman Patrick Dodson for the national voice to be allowed to address federal cabinet, the SA voice does precisely that at the state level, giving the state First Nations voice a legally ­enshrined right to meet state cabinet twice a year.

The state voice will also be guaranteed two meetings a year with the chief executive and commissioner of every government department.

Unlike the federal voice, the South Australian voice does not require any change to the state’s constitution and can be implemented via legislation alone.

Mr Malinauskas wants the legislation passed by Easter, meaning elections for delegates could be held in the middle of the year, allowing them to start advising the SA parliament on relevant legislation before a referendum is held later this year.

Mr Malinauskas told The Australian that he had not fast-tracked his voice plans to drive support for a national Yes vote, but was pleased that his own timetable would overlap with the national debate.

“It was always our intention to have legislation for the voice in the parliament at the beginning of our second parliamentary year, which is this week. We didn’t design it that way but it is fortuitous from our perspective,” he said.

“It has the potential to demonstrate to the nation that this can be a wholeheartedly good thing that doesn’t diminish our democracy, doesn’t usurp existing parliamentary authorities, but rather complements it appropriately. I am glad it has worked out this way.”

The moves toward an SA voice are being followed in Canberra, with Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney meeting frequently with state Attorney-General and fellow Indigenous MP Kyam Maher.

It is also being watched by Peter Dutton amid an expectation that the SA Liberals will ultimately back the SA model, despite their misgivings about the process used by Mr Malinauskas. The federal Opposition Leader said last month the SA proposal was less contentious than the ­national one as it did not involve changing the constitution.

SA opposition Indigenous ­affairs spokesman Josh Teague said the Liberal partyroom would reserve judgment until it had ­examined the legislation carefully.

Mr Malinauskas also said he hoped the SA proposal would “take the heat” out of some of the more polarised national discussion of the voice, by showing critics that limits were in place to ensure parliament still had the final say over the running of the state.