THE VOICE 50 SHADES OF BLACK & WHITE

It seemed like such a great idea — a consultative voice to Parliament for Australia’s more than 800,000 long-suffering Indigenous people.

That was the Census 2021 number anyway. A growth rate more than triple the growth for the population overall — which has merely doubled since Census 71. By mid last year, one Australian Bureau of Statistics expert had already revised to a new Indigenous estimate — between 952,000 and 1 million!

Represented in Parliament by eight Senators — more than 10% of the nation’s Upper House — and three members in the House of Reps. It goes without saying, these MPs were elected to represent every citizen in their respective seats — or — for Senators, their State. But how would it play if these Indigenous MPs decided to vote together — as a block?

The ALP Government’s slender two seat Lower House majority would evaporate. The Senate — even more of a bloodbath. Prime Minister Albanese’s dreams for a more value added capitalism — whatever that means — in shreds.

His personal support for the rights of this much abused minority are beyond doubt. But his instinct for how to repair our tattered relationship with the French — and his dainty two-step with the increasingly war-like Chinese — seems to have deserted him here.

The Voice has to be enshrined — for reasons of natural justice, we’re told — but perhaps also for reasons of raw political survival. And the get-it-through-a-referendum-plan looked just great. A?baked in requirement to provide constitutional advice to Parliament from a Voice — whose existence, authority, and validity could never be challenged.

An overwhelming YES campaign — and hopefully no counter argument. After all, opposition, if any, had to be white privileged, racist, and easily swatted away.

It was none of our damn business how this new advisory body might actually work. We could read the 223 page Indigenous Voice Co-Design Process Final Report to Government if we were that curious. Hashed out by a national and regional advisory group of 53 distinguished Australians. Sipping tea. Vigorously falling over themselves to agree with each other — at least on the final report.

The only tiny wrinkle? The Albanese Government has not yet committed to any of the Report — and they won’t say whether they ever will. We have no idea what might be cherry-picked, diluted, strengthened, modified or abandoned.

But that’s OK. We can just rely on the Parliament — including its 11 indigenous MPs — to decide all that bothersome detail?— after we’ve already given them a Referendum green light to do whatever they want.

But at least the Voice can only advise: quote — “on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples”. unquote.

And then two retired Australian High Court Judges tossed a hand grenade into that reassurance. In their august opinion — the advise clause so broad-brush, the Voice could have a constitutionally privileged say on absolutely everything. Moreover, the Voice — again —?their opinion — would be justiciable.

Translated into plain English, let’s say the Goverment wants to spend $90B on nuclear submarines. The Voice might advise they’d prefer the money went to Indigenous housing. The justiciable next step? Gridlock as the dispute grinds its way through the courts. Meanwhile — extreme case — the Chinese are wading ashore.

Or another thus far little ventilated concern. Precedent! An enshrined special Voice to Parliament for one racial group. So, why not another? Our 1.1m Aussies of Italian descent? The Greeks? The Vietnamese?

Perhaps a constitionalised Voice for Big Business? The unions? After all, the entire nation no more than a stitched together patchwork of special interests.

For more than a century, each Lower House politician has been elected to represent a specific geography. South Eastern Melbourne! The Hunter Valley! Far North Queensland! Is that now done?

Other concerns now marching out of the woodwork. How is the Voice to speak with one Voice — unifying the sometimes conflicting views of an estimated 500 Indigenous tribes — some of whom hate each other?

Could the Voice disintegrate into a multitude of conflicting voices? Neither black nor white — but an endless, stormy sea of grey.

I’m #philackman and this #philackman article #thevoice50shadesofblackandwhite first to air on #cairnsfm891