Anthony Albanese accuses Voice critics of inciting ‘culture war’ – ‘open to improving’ proposal

The Prime Minister is at the forefront of his campaign for an Indigenous Voice in Parliament by accusing his opponents of ‘trying to start a culture war’.

In a speech on Sunday, Anthony Albanese will urge Australians to support a referendum to enshrine Voice in Australia’s Constitution.

He will appeal to the “generosity, sense of justice and optimism” of the people, while saying that he is “open to improvements or modifications” to the proposed changes.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton (pictured left with his wife Kirilly), recently wrote a 15-question letter to Mr Albanese, seeking further clarification on Voice to Parliament.

Australians will vote in a referendum in the second half of this year on whether to amend the constitution to create an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander body to provide advice to the federal parliament on policies that affect them.

Liberal opposition leader Peter Dutton recently wrote a 15-question letter to Mr Albanese, seeking further clarification on Voice to Parliament, after attending a referendum working group on Thursday.

“Australians deserve to be informed before they vote in a referendum,” a Liberal Party spokesman said.

Albanese will use his speech to assert that democracy is under threat, saying Australia must learn from events such as the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, and the January 8, 2023 riots in Brazil.

‘Democracy can never be taken for granted. It needs to be nurtured, protected, cared for, treated with respect,’ she will say.

‘The Referendum Task Force has already outlined some clear rationale,’ Mr Albanese will tell the audience at the Chifley Research Center in Canberra.

La Voz will not administer the funds. It will not deliver programs. You will not have any kind of veto power over decision-making.’

Albanese will address criticism that the proposed clauses are vague by comparing them to Parliament’s powers to make laws on the country’s defense, as outlined in the Constitution.

“It doesn’t specify the size of the ADF, or where it should be based or what kind of defense hardware we should have,” he will say.

And thank goodness: That section of the Constitution doesn’t even mention the air force, for the very good reason that it was signed into law before the first powered flight.

Anthony Albanese will compare some of Voice’s opponents to the January 6, 2021 riots in Washington DC on Sunday. In the photo, supporters of former US President Donald Trump in Washington that day.

The Federation of Australia authors understood that it was up to the government, parliament and the people to ‘deal with the details and implementation through legislation’.

‘The Constitution contains the power and then Parliament uses its democratic authority to build the institution and renew it as necessary.

“In this year’s referendum, Australians will vote on the principle.”

His comments come after mounting criticism of the proposal, including calls for clarification of details before a referendum is considered.

Shadow attorney general Julian Leeser urged the federal government to address Dutton’s “reasonable questions” about Voice.

Pictured, supporters of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro clash with security forces during an invasion of the Presidential Palace in Brasilia on January 8, 2023. Anthony Albanese will say on Sunday that Australia must learn from what happened in Brazil.

Albanese will tell his audience on Sunday that some opponents are promoting “misinformation” about Voice online.

“That’s an inevitable consequence of trying to bring about change,” he will say.

‘There are always those who want to create confusion and cause division, to try to stop progress.

‘But moments of national decision, like this referendum, are also an opportunity for our people to show their best qualities: their generosity, their sense of justice, their optimism for the future.

“That is why I am optimistic about the success of the referendum, because I have always been optimistic about the character of the Australian people.”

A recent poll by the Nine newspapers found Australians’ support for an Indigenous Voice in Parliament has fallen from 53 to 47 per cent.