Dodson demands details on Morrison’s plan for indigenous ‘voice’

Labor’s Pat Dodson has demanded Scott Morrison ‘come clean’ on plans for an indigenous voice in parliament.

Labor senator Pat Dodson. Picture: AAP

Labor senator Pat Dodson has demanded Scott Morrison “come clean” on plans for an indigenous voice in parliament after the budget allocated $7.3 million to investigate a model for the proposed Aboriginal advisory body.

The opposition assistant indigenous affairs spokesman said the Prime Minister may be “trying to fool First Nations people into believing he supports a voice” after the measure showed the government was considering backing the proposal recommended by indigenous leaders in the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2017.

“Scott Morrison needs to come clean with First Nations people about his real position on a voice,” Senator Dodson said.

“Having rejected the proposal from Uluru, today’s budget measure suggests he has changed his mind, or is simply trying to fool First Nations people into believing he supports a voice. His position needs to be immediately clarified.”

Malcolm Turnbull was quick to reject the proposal from his government’s Referendum Council, claiming it would act as a “third chamber of parliament”.

Bill Shorten has promised a referendum for a constitutionally enshrined voice in the first term of a Labor government.

The allocation will be used to progress recommendations of a report last year by the parliament’s joint select committee on constitutional recognition. Labor and Coalition members of the committee said the government needed to engage in “co-design” with Aboriginal communities before finalising a model for the voice.

Tuesday’s budget also included $35m to support indigenous women impacted by family violence, $5m to reduce indigenous youth ­suicide and a $200m education package.