Indigenous referendum ‘in danger’ of no campaign

The government should not fund a “no” campaign against recognising indigenous Australians in the Constitution, says Senator Nova Peris.

Senator Nova Peris warns about a no vote on indigenous recognition in the Constitution. Picture: David Geraghty

The government should deny funding to a “dangerous” no ­campaign against recognising ­indigenous Australians in the Constitution, says Labor senator Nova Peris.

Senator Peris, co-chairwoman of the committee examining the best way for a successful ­referendum in 2017, also said it would be better to delay a vote than risk failure.

“We need to ensure that all the resources are put into the area of what we are trying to achieve,” she said. “We know how dangerous a no campaign can be to a successful referendum.

“If we are going to have people in the political realm that are going to support a no campaign … then let’s wait.”

Conservative senator Cory Bernardi has declared he would trigger the no campaign by voting against constitutional change in parliament, and has the backing of Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm.

Under the referendum act, public funding for campaigns is not permitted, but the government has previously suspended the legislation to provide public funding for a yes and no case.

If MPs vote against the proposal, the Australian Electoral Commission releases a pamphlet outlining the key arguments of both sides.

Senator Peris’s warning comes after indigenous academic Marcia Langton also sounded caution that a no campaign could thwart change.

“Let me also warn that if a no case is formalised, funded by the government, and included in the question to be put to a referendum, constitutional recognition of indigenous people will almost certainly fail,” Professor Langton said on Tuesday night.

Senator Peris said while she expected there would be some people opposed to recognition, the government should ensure the yes case was promoted.

“The government has got to make a decision,” she said.

“But I think change requires real leadership and if we are fair dinkum about being inclusive of Australia’s history, we have to ­ensure that we maintain strong leadership on this. A no case ­denies true recognition of Australia’s entire history.

“I am probably one of the most optimistic people you could ever meet and I think we face incredible embarrassment as a nation if we are going to put something up that is doomed to fail and that has been a shared concern amongst Aboriginal people.”

Labor’s indigenous affairs spokesman, Shayne Neumann, said he wanted the government to support the referendum, but it was “a matter for the government as to whether they should be funding yes or no campaigns”.

“I think there is strong support from the community for constitutional recognition, but there are already elements clearly who are gearing up for a no campaign,” he said. “To expect there is not going to be a no campaign is unrealistic.”

Warren Mundine, chairman of the Prime Minister’s indigenous advisory council, said there was an obligation on government to fund both sides of the ­campaign.

“Either you don’t fund both sides, or you fund both sides, but it has to be the same,” he said.

He said that only a conservative approach would be accepted by the Australian public, and it was better to achieve a small change in 2017 rather than risk failure with a “drastic” proposal.

A spokeswoman for Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said it was premature to discuss potential funding for a yes or no campaign.

“Any decisions about funding for the yes or no campaign will be made in the lead up to the referendum when a proposition is on the table,” she said.