Flinders Ranges traditional owners fearing loss of identity and more sacred site destruction oppose ‘blank cheque’ Voice to Parliament

Flinders Ranges traditional owners were devastated when sacred sites were destroyed without consultation. They fear a Voice to Parliament will give them even less of a say.

Flinders Ranges traditional owners left devastated after unauthorised earthworks destroyed sacred Adnyamathanha sites will vote against a Voice to Parliament, with fears the proposed changes to the Constitution will leave them with even less power to protect their culture.

“I’m voting as an Aboriginal person, saying no, because I can see this is not right what’s happening, or what possibly could happen,” Heather Stuart, who voted against the Voice on Friday, said.

“They should be looking at other avenues to support Aboriginal people.

“It’s not going to make a difference.”

Ms Stuart and her family members were left devastated after sacred Adnyamathanha sand hills in the Flinders Ranges were destroyed last month.

Flinders Ranges traditional owners Heather Stuart and Regina McKenzie oppose the Voice to Parliament. Picture: Ben Clark

The destruction occurred after an Environment Department employee signed off on earthworks to erect a new fence on the boundary of the Nilpena Ediacara National Park and Beltana Station.

Ms Stuart said traditional owners would have less power to protect culturally significant sites and preserve their heritage if the referendum passed.

“Once they put the Voice into the Constitution, that’s goodbye to our tribal lands, to our nations’ lands and to our heritage,” Ms Stuart said.

“If it gets in, that’s what’s going to happen.

“I’m hoping and praying that it doesn’t.”

Ms Stuart and Ms McKenzie feared it would be harder to protect sacred sites like those destroyed in the Flinders Ranges last month if the referendum passed. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Stuart’s sister Regina McKenzie said she would also oppose the Voice on Saturday because individual Aboriginal nations would lose their identity.

“It’s mass assimilation,” Ms McKenzie said.

“It’s not going to do what they’re saying it’s going to.”

Regina McKenzie said she feared more sacred sites could be destroyed if the referendum passed. Picture: Ben Clark

Ms McKenzie said she feared more sacred sites could be damaged if the referendum passed.

“If there isn’t a Voice of every nation, things are going to be happening just like Ediacara,” she said.

Her sister Vivianne McKenzie also voted against the referendum ahead of Saturday.

“We’ve got to speak for our groups,” she said.

She said the federal government was asking “people to vote on this referendum without people seeing what they’re voting on”.

“They’re asking people to vote on this but no one has really seen what is on the paper,” she said.

“It’s just a blank cheque being offered to this country to vote on.”

Originally published as Flinders Ranges traditional owners fearing loss of identity and more sacred site destruction oppose ‘blank cheque’ Voice to Parliament