“The decision to delay the introduction of the much-vaunted South Australian Voice to Parliament is a cynical ploy designed to stop the community from knowing the facts about the massive scope and operation of the proposed Canberra Voice,” said Daniel Wild, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Public Affairs.
As reported today in the Financial Review, the South Australian Government has cynically chosen to delay the commencement of its state Voice to Parliament, originally slated for September 2023, by six months, under the guise of not wanting to cause “confusion”.
Forthcoming IPA research will show South Australians are open minded about their state-based Voice to Parliament, as it is subject to parliamentary oversight, but have serious questions about the Canberra Voice, which will be locked into our Constitution.
“How can Australians have any faith in the Canberra Voice to Parliament proposal when even state governments are taking extraordinary measures, including delaying the commencement of laws, to prevent them from witnessing the consequences of such ideas?” asked Mr Wild.
“There is a clear tension between the local state Voice, which is in legislation only, and the Canberra-based national voice, which would be permanently embedded in the Constitution and therefore cannot be changed or removed.”
Several recently released public opinion polls have uncovered the trend that Australians are increasingly wary of the Voice to Parliament as proponents, including the Prime Minister, simply refuse to provide detail on its consequences.
“Today’s revelations show the proponents of the ‘yes’ campaign will stop at nothing to ensure that Australians do not have the facts about the Canberra Voice to Parliament before they are forced to vote on it later in the year,” said Mr Wild.
“Soon to be released IPA research will also show that there is a growing concern among South Australians that the state, nor the Canberra, Voice to Parliaments will do little to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians in remote communities.”
“What we have witnessed in South Australia today is a massive political favour being done by playing games with the law. Australians deserve better than this before they vote on the biggest change to our Constitution since Federation,” said Mr Wild.
