Former prime minister to take centre stage at ‘No to The Voice’ event in Geelong

The man who once labelled himself the “the prime minister for Indigenous affairs” is coming to Geelong to speak out against The Voice.

Tony Abbott addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference in Sydney last month. Photo: Simon Bullard / NCA NewsWire.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott will headline a Geelong event aimed at bringing together opponents of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

To be held Tuesday evening at Geelong West Town Hall, ‘No to The Voice’ will be hosted by Liberal MPs Bev McArthur and Joe McCracken.

Mr Abbott, who was Scott Morrison’s “special envoy” on Indigenous affairs after being ousted from parliament in 2019, is an outspoken critic of The Voice.

He described it as something that would “end up making an unsatisfactory situation worse” and “entrench victimhood in our Constitution forever”.

“Voting no to this divisive Voice should mean a reset to the Indigenous separatism that has bedevilled us these past five decades and allow all Australians to go forward again as one united people,” Mr Abbott said.

Ms McArthur said The Voice referendum, to be held on October 14, had become a battle of wills, rather than a battle of ideas.

She said Yes advocates were poisoning the debate with smears.

“Crying racism is just another way to shut down debate about the real issues,” Ms McArthur said.

“It’s also another manifestation of the identity politics which plagues the political scene these days.”

Liberal MP Bev McArthur. Photo: Alan Barber.

Citing the example of a youth who had contacted her, Ms McArthur said many No voters feared repercussions.

“He (the youth) has enormous depths of compassion for the plight of our impoverished Indigenous population, but worries that he might lose jobs, or be otherwise cancelled, for opposing the referendum question,” she said.

“There are many people in that camp … just keeping their heads down so they don’t become targets of vitriol or worse.”

The September 26 event will be held little more than a week after 2500 people walked across Barwon Heads Bridge in support of The Voice.

“There was such a feeling of unity,” Corangamite MP Libby Coker said of the walk.

Meanwhile, the Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative, in conjunction with an alliance of Yes groups, will host a market and forum this Sunday at Eastern Beach Reserve.

The event begins at 10am and will feature market stalls, speakers, music and artists, as well as the opportunity to hear from local First Nations people about the upcoming referendum.

“This family-friendly event is a perfect opportunity to hear straight from local First Nations people why this referendum so important,” Yes campaigner Kayne Harwood said.

Originally published as Former prime minister to take centre stage at ‘No to The Voice’ event in Geelong