Who can claim to be Aboriginal? Pauline Hanson clamp down on ‘false heritage’

Pauline Hanson wants to make it more difficult for people to prove their Aboriginality in order to prevent cases of ‘falsely claiming heritage for personal gain’.

Ahead of the referendum for a Voice to Parliament, the One Nation leader attempted to introduce a bill that would change the process of identification as an Indigenous person.

Labor rejected the proposal, refusing to allow Senator Hanson to introduce the motion Thursday.

A division was called and Senator Hanson, along with fellow One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts and United Australia’s Ralph Babet were the only ones who wanted a first reading.

“Indigenous identity should not be a greedy tick-box exercise,” she said:

“This is a culture that has endured and survived for thousands of years, and you shouldn’t be able to identify with it just by filling out a legal statement or checking a box on a form.”

Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe was among those who voted against hearing the motion, making a cutting remark on policy as she crossed the room to side with Labour, the Coalition and the Greens.

Senator Hanson described the response to her proposal as a slap in the face to Queenslanders who voted for her to represent them in parliament.

“The Greens, Coalition, Labor and cross benchers have effectively said that a senator representing a state of more than five million people should not introduce legislation or speak on the floor of parliament,” she said.

“While this may be something the North Koreans would be proud of, the cowards who have denied this urgent and necessary debate should be ashamed of themselves.”

It is clear that Senator Hanson was under the impression that she had the “full support” of several members of the Coalition, who sided with Labor during the division.

“It can get messy,” said one employee. “They lied to Senator Hanson.”

Senator Hanson says it is an urgent matter ahead of the referendum, which will take place between October and December.

Australians will be asked if they support the creation of the Voice to Parliament to recognize Indigenous peoples in the constitution. The government has set aside $364.6 million in this budget for the referendum.

The vote will need the support of the majority of Australians in most states to be successful.

The Voice will set up a body to “submit matters to the Parliament and Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

This body – made up of indigenous people of different ages and demographics – would provide advice to the government.

But critics argue it’s unclear what exactly they might advise on.

And Senator Hanson argues that without clear definitions of Indigenous identity, there could be problems later on — if the referendum is successful — over who should be on the Voice committee.

A person must be of Indigenous descent, identify as Indigenous and be accepted by the Aboriginal community as an Indigenous person.

As it stands, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reassured the public that members of the Voice will be appointed by and within indigenous communities.

They will have a seat on the committee ‘for a time yet to be determined’.

The way the communities choose their representatives will be agreed upon by local communities in conjunction with the government as part of a “post-referendum process” to ensure cultural legitimacy, he said.

If a majority of Australians vote for the Voice, the Constitution will be amended as follows:

1. There will be a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

2. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Commonwealth Parliament and Executive Government on matters pertaining to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

3. Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have the power to legislate on matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.

Albanese said he was aware that holding a referendum “is a risk” as “usually they fail.”

He said earlier this year: ‘The people here can’t wait. They can’t. They’ve waited so long. They have waited a long time for justice, this is something they make such a humble request for. I do feel a responsibility.

“I’m not here to occupy space, I’m here to change the country. Nowhere is it more important to change the country than to change the constitution to recognize the fullness of our history.

“I want this for all Australians. We’ll feel better if we get this done. The truth is that Australia will be seen as a better nation in the rest of the world. Our position in the world matters.’