I confess that I find myself conflicted about the Voice to Parliament and not for the reasons you may think. My primary conflict is that I, a white migrant from England, get to vote on something that affects a minority group I am not part of. By the end of this decade, it’s estimated that over one million indigenous people will account for just under 4% of Australia’s population. You and I get a say in the future for people who are not us. Let that sink in.
I hope this blog will remove some of the confusion surrounding the Voice and aid you in making a decision that aligns with your conscience, the Scriptures, and the character of Jesus.
As a Christian leader, I don’t tell people how they should vote. Our unity is in Jesus Christ, and we respect a diversity of opinions. Of course, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t engage in respectful discussions on issues. We certainly should, hence this blog.
What the heck is it?
The Australian Constitution contains statements of intent or goodwill without specific details. The government’s task is to draft bills debated by parliament and decide whether they will pass them into law. For example, our Constitution allows the Commonwealth to raise an army and navy. Air forces did not exist in 1901, but the term “military defence” in the Constitution has been considered broad enough to include an air force (and nuclear submarines). The details are left to the government to work out. It’s the same for the Voice.
When you vote in this referendum, you’ll answer this question:
“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
Do you approve this proposed alteration?”
If approved at the referendum, several lines would be inserted into the Constitution in Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Constitutional expert and Voice adviser Anne Twomey says, “The government would be empowered to specify the legal effect of the Voice’s representations.”
Members of the Voice would be selected by Indigenous communities, not chosen by the government, and serve for fixed periods. If formed, the Voice would be an advisory body to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people around the country a say in government policy and programs that affect the lives of Indigenous peoples. It would not deliver services, manage government funding, or mediate between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.
Bipartisan
While political parties have divided over the Voice, that has not always happened. On 16 October 2007, Prime Minister John Howard promised to hold a referendum on constitutional recognition, and Labor leader Kevin Rudd gave bipartisan support. On 8 November 2010, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced plans for a referendum on the issue. In 2015, Tony Abbott promised to do the same.
In 2017, the Uluru Statement from the Heart asked for an indigenous voice as the first step: “We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.” These Indigenous leaders asked for something both sides of politics had long promised to do.
But, Indigenous people don’t all agree
Yes, that’s correct. Australia’s indigenous people are not a homogenous group any more than Christians are. Christians disagree on all sorts of things and have done since the time of Jesus.
Indigenous people are diverse, and not all agree with the proposed Voice. But the majority do. While it’s difficult to achieve a representative sample of the Indigenous population, the polls that have been conducted show overwhelming support for the Voice by Indigenous people.
Racist and divisive?
A major criticism of the Voice is that it divides Australians based on race. But is this accurate? Unfortunately, people on both sides of this campaign have acted unkindly and used the “race” card to attack others.
“Race” is about physical characteristics such as skin colour and hair type. The Voice is concerned with indigeneity. Australia is home to many ethnic groups but has only one Indigenous people. They were here first; hence, they are called First Nations. An Indigenous Voice would not be racist; it would simply recognise the original inhabitants of Australia in the Constitution.
Informed by Faith
Christians have a higher ethic with which to form opinions and inform decisions. We must resist being primarily influenced by our politics or personality. When it comes to decision-making, we ask how our Christian faith informs our conclusion. I invite you to sit with that question.
Also, how does our understanding of God, Jesus, and Scripture aid us in deciding? To be like Jesus, Christians count others as more significant than themselves. “Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.” That’s what Jesus did for us, so that is how we will respond to others (Philippians 2:3-4).
Regarding the Indigenous Voice, I encourage you to be informed by your faith. Jesus said the most important law was to love God and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.” In other words, put yourself in others’ shoes and see what life is like for them (empathy). If I were part of a minority group that faired far worse than the general population, would a direct channel (Voice) to the government help me in my plight?
I also encourage you to think beyond “If you don’t know, just vote no.” We Christians want to see others experience God’s love and grace in Jesus. We never tell people if they don’t know Jesus, then say no to him. We encourage people to dig deep, read, pray, and investigate. It’s the same with the Voice. If you don’t know, FIND OUT.
Refute false info
Christians are to be people of truth. We follow a person who described himself as The Truth. And so, all we do in life must reflect the truth. False narratives and conspiracies have no place in the Christian story. They are contradictions of all that it means to follow Jesus. So, however you vote in the Referendum, make sure it’s according to truth, not lies and fear. Here are some of the false narratives I’ve come across:
“You won’t lose your backyard, but you will have to pay the rent.”
The Voice will only offer advice. Parliament and the government will decide the law.
“The Voice will lead to reparations.” The Voice has no power to legislate on anything. It cannot force compensation.
“The Voice is a smokescreen to set up an Aboriginal state within the nation.” There is no evidence this is the case.
“The Voice will lead to a one-world government.” A narrative pushed by Christians who embrace a futurist, conspiratorial view of so-called “end times” prophecy. They say the Voice is part of a push by the United Nations to bring Australia under its control. The Voice is an advisory committee to be enshrined in the Australian Constitution. It has nothing to do with international affairs.
“The Referendum will include a sneaky extra question designed to change Australia’s system of government and abolish private land ownership.” No, it won’t.
“The Uluru Statement from the Heart is a 26-page document.”
Wrong. The Statement is one page of 439 words. The so-called “other pages” are part of the 2017 Final Report of the Referendum Council. Within that report is a history of Indigenous Australians titled “Our Story,” which is not part of the Referendum. The report has been readily available since 2017 and has not been “exposed” by any journalist.
“The No campaign used AI in its ads?” No, it didn’t. An unofficial site did that. One that is not linked to or supported by the No campaign.
“There’s no proof Australia’s Indigenous people inhabited this land for 60,000 years, as the Uluru Statement from the Heart stated.” Yes, there is. Several archaeological sites are over 50,000 years old; one is dated 65,000 years old (Madjedbebe site in Arnhem land).
“The Federal Government paid John Farnham 30 million taxpayer dollars for use of his song, You’re the Voice.” Wrong. The government is prohibited by law from spending money to promote either side of the referendum case.
Other countries
If the Voice is passed, Australia won’t be alone in having a representative expression for Indigenous people. New Zealand and Taiwan have outstanding examples.
Norway, Sweden and Finland all have representation for the Sami people. Every model is flawed and not without their challenges. They do not always please all parties, but they provide a stronger voice for the Sami, and clearly, the sky has not fallen on any of these Scandinavian countries.
Canada formally recognised its indigenous peoples in its Constitution in 1982. Bolivia has recognised its majority indigenous population since its Referendum in 2009.
I do not doubt that this Referendum could have been managed better, starting with dialogue and bipartisan support. Referenda rarely succeed without it. But this is where we find ourselves now, so make an informed decision and cast your vote on or before 14 October.