Voice referendum result heralds ‘new era,’ says Jacinta Price

The Coalition has welcomed the referendum result as the start of a new era in Indigenous Policy based on a rejection of the politics of grievance.

Shadow minister for Indigenous Australians Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton address the nation after the voice defeat.

The Coalition and the No campaign, piloted by Jacinta Price, have promised a “new era in Indigenous policy” that rejects the politics of grievance following the comprehensive defeat of the voice to parliament.

Mr Dutton said efforts should be redoubled to support and improve Indigenous Australians “in those disadvantaged communities and to close the gap.”

He recommitted the Opposition to implementing a Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities and an audit into spending on Indigenous programs “so we can get the money to where it’s needed.”

Speaking after Anthony Albanese acknowledged the defeat of a constitutionally enshrined voice to parliament, Mr Dutton said the result meant listening “less to activists” and more to people living in remote communities.

Mr Dutton also said the referendum result needed to lead to a reorientation of national politics back to bread-and-butter issues such as the cost-of-living, reducing power prices and boosting national security.

Senator Price, the Opposition’s Indigenous Australians spokeswoman, said the result meant that Australians had “said No to grievance and the push from activists to suggest that

we are a racist country.”

She argued the defeat of the referendum offered a new opportunity for Australians to show that “we are one of the, if not the, greatest nation on the face of the earth - and it is time for Australians to believe that once again, to be proud to call ourselves Australian.”

“Because until we can be proud, we can’t form a position where we can be strong to tackle our tough issues within our country,” she said.

“For those of you who voted Yes, please know that we as a Coalition have always got the best interests of all Australians at heart. We want to make sure that we are fighting for a better future for all Australians.”

Senator Price said that “much work needs to be done” to reunite the country and that efforts needed to be focused on those who were most marginalised in society.

Mr Dutton said efforts needed to be made to redouble efforts to support and improve Indigenous Australians “in those disadvantaged communities and to close the gap.”

“That includes an urgent need to boost law and order, to increase school attendance and employment in many remote communities. And that means listening less to activists and more to people in those communities and those who champion them.”

FULL VOTE RESULTS

Mr Dutton said that, as Opposition Leader, he believed the nation needed to “come together to tackle challenges, to help families struggling with the cost of living.”

“We need to give young Australians hope that they can buy their own home. We need to fix the mess of the energy policy, so that we can deliver electricity that’s affordable and reliable as well as clean,” he said.

“We need to support, not to oppose our small businesses and boosting our national security to prepare Australia for a very uncertain world ... For the past year, the Prime Minister and the government has been consumed by this referendum and they’ve focused on the wrong priorities.”

Mr Dutton said there was now a need to “turn the page, to unite and to address the many challenges facing our country.”