Australia has no need for an indigenous ‘voice to Parliament’ with 227 legislators – including 11 who identify as indigenous – representing their voice in Parliament. One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson said the ‘voice’ would effectively create apartheid in Australia, giving a minority of Australians more political franchise than the majority based on race.

“Apartheid in South Africa was unsustainable because it was divisive, unfair and unjust,” she said. “It was just plain wrong. One adult, one vote is the only democratic system that is free and fair.

“Yet it appears the Albanese government wants to wind back the clock and impose apartheid on the Australian people by giving a minority of Australians more political power than the majority based on their race. How is this proposal anything but divisive?

“It’s obvious that today, being indigenous is no barrier to being elected to represent Australians in our parliaments – especially the Federal parliament, where indigenous people represent almost 5% of elected members compared to 3.2% of the Australian population identifying as indigenous.

“As a senator for Queensland I’m required by the Constitution to represent every constituent in the state, indigenous or otherwise, and that’s what I do: I’ve raised many matters with the government on behalf of, and at the behest of, indigenous Australians. Many other representatives do this as well because, you know, that’s the job we’re elected to do.

“So you’d be forgiven for asking why a ‘voice to Parliament’ is necessary with this growing chorus of indigenous voices already being heard in our legislative chambers, bringing indigenous perspectives to debates on laws which affect all Australians.” Senator Hanson challenged the Albanese government and ‘voice’ proponents to provide the details and costs to the Australian people before rushing to a referendum.

“We don’t know who will be eligible to stand for election to the ‘voice’, who will be eligible to vote, where and how it will operate, precisely what legislation it will require to be consulted about, and how much all of this will cost the Australian taxpayer,” she said.

“Indigenous Australians minister Linda Burney says a referendum on the ‘voice’ should not be about what the proposed body would look like in detail. She’s wrong: it must. What’s the harm in giving us the model? Why keep Australians in the dark?

“Why insist that we support this proposal with no detail when only this week, when asked if he’d like to see an advisory opinion on climate change endorsed by Pacific leaders and progressed in the United Nations, the Prime Minister told reporters: ‘…of course we haven’t seen the details…so it’s hard for any nation to just sign off sight unseen’.

“These are words the Prime Minister should live by. If you can’t trust Australians with the details of the ‘voice’, why should Australians trust you?”