Anthony Albanese’s fiery Ben Fordham interview: PM hurries when grilled over Voice Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo’s ‘pay the rent’ comments
Anthony Albanese has answered questions about a leading ‘Yes’ campaigner’s comments that the vote is a step towards making non-Indigenous Aussies ‘pay the rent’ for living on Australian land.
Radio 2GB presenter Ben Fordham confronted the Prime Minister about his declining support for the Indigenous vote in parliament and his degree of focus on the cost-of-living crisis, in a fiery 38-minute radio interview on Wednesday.
Mr Albanese was asked if he agreed with Voice campaigner Thomas Mayo’s comments about ‘paying the rent’ and ‘punishing politicians who disagree’ with The Voice.
Daily Mail Australia last month revealed tweets in which Mr Mayo said a ‘guaranteed representative body’ was needed [to]…proper pursuit of rent due and an elimination of systems that harm us’.
He mentioned “all the things we imagine when we demand a vote, including “reparations, land restitution, abolition of harmful colonial institutions.”
Mr Albanese responded to Fordham: ‘May I make this point, you read from the No pamphlet-‘
Fordham responded angrily: ‘Excuse me, Prime Minister, I’m not reading from the pamphlet No, I’m reading from my own questions. Excuse me.’
Mr Albanese said he did not believe in reparations and argued that ‘this is not about a treaty’.
But Mr. Albanese has agreed to fully implement the Uluru Declaration from the heart, including a Makarrata Commission with the end goal of reaching a treaty.
“This is not about a treaty,” he said four times.
“I can’t say it any clearer, compensation has nothing to do with what people will vote for later this year.”
Mr. Fordham asked, ‘I’m talking about after. There are three stages, after we have passed through the Voice, is it normal to assume that we have passed through the Voice?’
Mr. Albanese said, “No, it’s not natural.”
Mr. Fordham said, “So Thomas Mayo is wrong?”
Mr Albanese said, ‘May I make this point, Ben, that is, when people look at the pamphlets, the Yes pamphlet is positive. It’s not misquoting anyone.’
Fordham also said his listeners are upset that the prime minister seems to be focusing all his attention on the vote, despite the country being gripped by a cost-of-living crisis.
“Everyone says stop talking about the Voice. As important as indigenous recognition is, we need to do something about this now (the cost of living),’ he said.
“It’s very hard for people right now.”
The prime minister said his government is “absolutely focused on cost of living as a first priority.”
He also acknowledged that support for The Voice is on the decline, based on polls across the board. However, he is still hopeful that Australians will vote yes to constitutional recognition in a referendum later this year.
“I’m very confident that people will come to the conclusion: if not now, when,” he said.