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| Indigenous recognition: Turnbull refuses commit to referendum council's proposal | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The prime minister has failed to commit to an indigenous voice to parliament referendum, warning that Australians are “constitutionally conservative”. | |
| During a speech at the Garma festival in northeast Arnhem Land, Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged many Aboriginal leaders were disappointed the government didn’t give “instant fulfilment” to the referendum council’s single recommendation of an indigenous advisory body. | |
| Turnbull said he was respecting the council’s report by giving it careful consideration and called for bipartisan collaboration to develop a winnable referendum question to put to Australian voters. | |
| “This cannot be a take it or leave it proposal ... an all-or-nothing approach, sometimes results in nothing,” he said on Saturday. | |
| On Friday, referendum co-chair Pat Anderson slammed “empty platitudes” offered by politicians as gutless. She said there was a “devastating” lack of leadership from successive governments on constitutional reform. | |
| Speaking at the four-day political and cultural festival , Anderson accused both the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and opposition leader, Bill Shorten, of making “empty platitudes” and of being “disrespectful” in their addresses at the event’s opening ceremony. | |
| She said the council was at the end of a 10-year process and successive governments over that time had done nothing. | She said the council was at the end of a 10-year process and successive governments over that time had done nothing. |
| “They will do anything and everything except deal with us,” she said. | “They will do anything and everything except deal with us,” she said. |
| In its recommendations delivered to government, the council upheld calls by Indigenous representatives at the Uluru summit to constitutionally enshrine an Indigenous voice in parliament. | In its recommendations delivered to government, the council upheld calls by Indigenous representatives at the Uluru summit to constitutionally enshrine an Indigenous voice in parliament. |
| Turnbull reacted with caution at what he called a big new idea in the debate, but one worthy of discussion. | Turnbull reacted with caution at what he called a big new idea in the debate, but one worthy of discussion. |
| Anderson said Shorten’s recent remarks supporting other referenda for example on a republic and on four-year terms, without having progressed on this, was like a Monty Python skit. She dismissed his suggestion for a joint select committee working on a referendum question by the end of the year. | Anderson said Shorten’s recent remarks supporting other referenda for example on a republic and on four-year terms, without having progressed on this, was like a Monty Python skit. She dismissed his suggestion for a joint select committee working on a referendum question by the end of the year. |
| “We need another committee like a hole in the head,” she said. | “We need another committee like a hole in the head,” she said. |
| Council member, Prof Megan Davis said it would be the fifth committee in as many years. | Council member, Prof Megan Davis said it would be the fifth committee in as many years. |
| “We live in an era of reform inertia,” said Davis, and that was more of an issue than any concern over bringing the Australian people on board. | “We live in an era of reform inertia,” said Davis, and that was more of an issue than any concern over bringing the Australian people on board. |
| Turnbull in his Garma address had alluded to a need to bring the Australian people along on the reconciliation journey. | Turnbull in his Garma address had alluded to a need to bring the Australian people along on the reconciliation journey. |
| Davis said “the Australian people” was used an abstract term used for political reasons. She said there was an overwhelming response from the public after the release of the Uluru “statement from the heart”. | Davis said “the Australian people” was used an abstract term used for political reasons. She said there was an overwhelming response from the public after the release of the Uluru “statement from the heart”. |
| Davis also addressed concerns that the council did not make recommendations about the race powers. | Davis also addressed concerns that the council did not make recommendations about the race powers. |
| Some parliamentarians who support reform, including Indigenous MP Linda Burney, have expressed concern the powers which allow the creation of discriminatory laws, were not targeted for amendment. | Some parliamentarians who support reform, including Indigenous MP Linda Burney, have expressed concern the powers which allow the creation of discriminatory laws, were not targeted for amendment. |
| Davis said the council’s brief was to talk to Indigenous people and that’s what they did: “For the first time in 10 years we’ve finally gone out and asked people what they want.” | Davis said the council’s brief was to talk to Indigenous people and that’s what they did: “For the first time in 10 years we’ve finally gone out and asked people what they want.” |
| The changes to the race powers originally proposed by the expert panel were not priorities for many Indigenous people because the powers weren’t seen as having an effect on their lives, and the changes couldn’t guarantee protection from another NT intervention. | The changes to the race powers originally proposed by the expert panel were not priorities for many Indigenous people because the powers weren’t seen as having an effect on their lives, and the changes couldn’t guarantee protection from another NT intervention. |
| A voice to parliament would have multiple functions and would act as a shield not a sword, and people chose it as “a meaningful right to have a say,” she said. | A voice to parliament would have multiple functions and would act as a shield not a sword, and people chose it as “a meaningful right to have a say,” she said. |
| The other council recommendations for a Makarrata and a truth-telling process, which did not need constitutional change, must go ahead, she said. A Makarrata would oversee the creation of treaties and the truth-telling would provide healing, Anderson said. | The other council recommendations for a Makarrata and a truth-telling process, which did not need constitutional change, must go ahead, she said. A Makarrata would oversee the creation of treaties and the truth-telling would provide healing, Anderson said. |
| “If we have to bleed as a nation to get to the other side then let’s do it,” she said. “You know your bit and we know our bit.” | “If we have to bleed as a nation to get to the other side then let’s do it,” she said. “You know your bit and we know our bit.” |
| She said it wasn’t about guilt, which was a “debilitating emotion” which allowed people to do nothing. If nothing happened from here Anderson said Australia should just look to the next generation “because we’re done”. | She said it wasn’t about guilt, which was a “debilitating emotion” which allowed people to do nothing. If nothing happened from here Anderson said Australia should just look to the next generation “because we’re done”. |
| Noel Pearson said along the process they were told the disunity among Indigenous people was the problem, but when there was clear unity the political response was “disappointing”. | Noel Pearson said along the process they were told the disunity among Indigenous people was the problem, but when there was clear unity the political response was “disappointing”. |
| He said the advocacy of the current generation was a new iteration of long-running calls of former leaders. “We are just the latest mob to be putting these ideas forward,” he said. | He said the advocacy of the current generation was a new iteration of long-running calls of former leaders. “We are just the latest mob to be putting these ideas forward,” he said. |
| Pearson said he wanted to “completely state my opposition” to changes to the race powers, which would “reinsert a poison pill” into the constitution. He took aim at “the left” for campaigning for “minimalism” in seeking those changes. | Pearson said he wanted to “completely state my opposition” to changes to the race powers, which would “reinsert a poison pill” into the constitution. He took aim at “the left” for campaigning for “minimalism” in seeking those changes. |
| The Garma festival continues until Monday. | The Garma festival continues until Monday. |