National Party will NOT support an Indigenous Voice to Parliament

The National Party will not support the Indigenous Vote in Parliament and claims it will do little to help First Nations people.

Nationals leader David Littleproud stated the regional party’s position alongside Aboriginal Senator Jacinta Price at Parliament House on Monday.

Mr Littleproud said his party spoke to Indigenous leaders and claimed the vote would not help close the gap between First Nations and white Australians.

“We believe that empowering local Indigenous communities by empowering them at a local level is not creating another layer of bureaucracy here in Canberra,” he said.

“This is not a vote for regional, rural and remote Australians. This is one for those who live in Redfern, you’ll be fine.

David Littleproud stated that the National Party would not support the Indigenous Voice to Parliament alongside Aboriginal Senator Jacinta Price in Parliament House

‘But think of those Indigenous Australians who live in Central Australia. They’re not going to get a vote out of this, they’re going to have another layer of bureaucracy that won’t change the dial of the legacy we leave behind.”

Mr Littleproud said he wanted instead to give rural indigenous communities the opportunities enjoyed every day in the cities.

Senator Price denounced Indigenous Australian minister Linda Burney for visiting remote communities ‘dripping on Gucci’ and telling them ‘what they need’.

“We have to stop dividing this nation based on race. We will not support a failed model,” she said.

“It is not racist to disagree with a proposal… that lacks details and divides us on race.

“Yes, there is benevolence, there is tremendous benevolence from Indigenous Australians in this country… what we need now is practical action, no idea that is full and utter detail and based on emotional blackmail.”

Senator Price slammed Indigenous Australian minister Linda Burney for visiting remote communities ‘dripping in Gucci’ and telling them ‘what they need’

The Nationals as a party will not actively oppose the Voice and instead leave it to individual MPs to represent their constituents.

‘Jacinta [Price] will adopt a national position and profile when articulating a case. I will make sure that my community, as I have called many and tragically, some of them don’t even know what the Voice is,” said Mr. Littleproud.

“We’re so far along and traditional owners in West Queensland some have no idea – it means nothing to them, it won’t help them.”

Senator Price said she hoped Australians would vote against a referendum to create the Voice if one was declared.

“This Voice model is about empowering the elites to demand a transfer of power, and nothing more,” she said.

“This Voice model is not recognition, let’s not confuse the two here, this is a very bureaucratic country that we have no details about.”

Senator Price said she and other Nationals MPs spoke to Indigenous communities on the Voice, claiming they “didn’t want more division” in Australia.

“We are part of a liberal democratic Australia. And one of our fundamental principles is that we are all considered equal before the law. Despite race, despite gender, despite everything else,” she said.

“As an Indigenous Australian, why should I be governed by a separate entity from the rest of Australia because of my race?”

The Indigenous Voice, as it is presented, is a strictly advisory body that provides insight and advocacy to all levels of government, not “government.”

Senator Price said she spoke to Indigenous Australians in her Northern Territory electorate, many of whom did not speak English as their first language, and found that many did not know the Voice.

‘[They] go about their daily business and worry about how they will not encounter violence in their lives,” she said.

“Worried about how they’re going to run their affairs without cheating from their relatives dealing with alcohol and substance abuse, worried about their kids actually going to school as their remote communities are now engulfed in alcohol fueled violence.”

“These are the issues people are worried about now that they’re not waiting for a proposal to come up with details on how it’s going to improve their lives.

“We are here to serve Australian citizens of all backgrounds and it is not right to divide ourselves along the lines of race, especially within our Australian founding document.”

More to come.