Jacinta Nampijinpa Price slams push for new Voice-style Indigenous body

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price accuses the Greens of ignoring the wishes of Australians by advocating for a new Voice-style Indigenous body.

The Coalition spokeswoman for Indigenous Australians said the proposal to establish a Truth and Justice Commission showed the party was “committed to promoting ideology” rather than listening to Australians.

“The Greens are not interested in what Australia has to say on any issue,” Senator Price told Sky News interviewer Peta Credlin on Monday night.

‘They would rather continue on the path of division within our country, of reinventing culture.

‘They infantilise Indigenous Australians and do not focus on meeting the needs of our most marginalised people, nor do they look at improving the economic independence of our marginalised Indigenous Australians.’

The Greens have introduced a bill to establish a 10-member commission to conduct a four-year investigation into “historical and ongoing injustices” against Indigenous Australians.

The proposal aligns with the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which envisioned the Voice as an advisory body to parliament, but also as a ‘truth-telling commission’ and ultimately as a treaty between Indigenous Australians and the Commonwealth.

Senator Price argued that it would be unwise for Labor to proceed with a commission to find out the truth, given that more than 60 per cent of voters rejected the Voice in last October’s referendum.

“Workers in their right mind should not support this,” she said.

‘They understand the outcome of the referendum very well. It would not be beneficial for them to support this, but you never know. In their desperation they might decide to do so anyway.

“They have not been clear with the Australian people, but they must be honest about what they plan to do with the truth commission that they continue to support.

‘Whether it concerns the Greens, or other measures that they have not yet announced.’

Although the Albanian government has not committed to the truth commission, it has pledged $27 million to fund the commission. Makarrata Commission, which is examining a proposed treaty between the indigenous people and the Commonwealth.

Senator Price accused the government of being “very devious” with its plans for Indigenous people since the referendum defeat.

“We haven’t really heard anything about indigenous policy since the referendum,” she said.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt has introduced a bill to establish a Truth and Justice Commission for Indigenous Australians

“There are a lot of problems, a lot of issues, but there has been no proposal for how we, again, support our most marginalised Indigenous Australians.”

Introducing her bill to establish a Truth and Justice Commission, Greens First Nations spokesperson Dorinda Cox said such a body is even more important

“People need hope, they need hope that we as a nation want to move forward,” she said.

“We want to make sure that we make progress in those conversations. We are taking a very bold and courageous action by bringing a bill to parliament that enshrines this in law.

‘This problem is not going to go away and we need the support of the Labour government.’