ASIO warns the Indigenous voice to parliament campaign may trigger ’spontaneous violence’ ahead of the referendum

Intelligence agency ASIO has warned the referendum for an Indigenous voice to parliament could trigger ‘spontaneous’ instances of violence but “we are not seeing indications of people planning a terrorist attack.”

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA NewsWire Photos APRIL 29, 2021: Mike Burgess, Director-General of Security during an inquiry into extremist movements and radicalism in Australia, at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The head of ASIO has warned the campaign ahead of the referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament may incite “spontaneous violence”, but there was no threat of a terrorist attack or foreign interference at this stage.

As federal MPs debate the government’s preferred model for the voice, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess told a Senate estimates hearing there had been recent security assessments of the referendum, which he labelled a “significant event”.

“We are not seeing indications of people planning a terrorist attack as part of that but that’s something that we constantly look at, noting the terrorism threat level is still probable,” he said.

“Unfortunately we do expect people, as they express their views and exchange their views online, that might inflame some people.

“There might be some protest and counter protest, and some of that might result in spontaneous violence.”

Mr Burgess said there was no intelligence that other countries were planning to interfere in the referendum but ASIO was “on the lookout” for such a risk.

Liberal shadow cabinet members on Monday night decided not to put forward any amendments to the government’s Constitution Alteration Bill, which outlines the question to be put to Australians at the referendum and the wording of a new section that would be inserted into the founding document.

The section establishes a voice that can make representations to parliament and executive government on matters that affect Indigenous people.

Opposition legal affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash accused the government of “trying to ram their Canberra-based voice” through the parliament.

“(The government has) refused to answer questions or accept any amendments as to how their voice will operate,” she said.

“The Liberal Party believes that the question of the voice should be a matter for the Australian people at a referendum, enabling everyone to have their say.

“We are strongly encouraging Australians to vote No.”

Indigenous leader Thomas Mayo, a member of the government’s referendum working group, said Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s claim the voice would insert race into the Constitution was “unhelpful” and had been detrimental to the tone of the debate. He remained optimistic the referendum would succeed, despite polling showing support for the voice had fallen.

“I have optimism because it is a simple proposition and it’s a modest proposition,” Mr Mayo told Sky News. “It’s not about inserting race into the Constitution. It’s about an Indigenous people that have a special place in this country. I think most Australians would agree with that now.

“It’s a beautiful culture that we have and that we’re generously offering this year to all Australians. I think that truth alone is enough to get this through. I think the consistency of our message that this is an invitation is going to ultimately carry us through.”

Reconciliation Australia last week rebuffed suggestions reconciliation would “die” if the referendum was voted down, telling a parliamentary committee the work to achieve a reconciled country would continue regardless of the referendum’s outcome.

Karen Mundine, the chief executive of the not-for-profit, lead body for reconciliation, made the comments after Indigenous leader Noel Pearson said a No vote would destroy reconciliation.

“Reconciliation will die, it would be dead,” Mr Pearson said this month.

Ms Mundine said: “That’s not my experience.

“We certainly believe that the work of reconciliation continues on … regardless of what the referendum comes to.”