The Coalition will exclude Senator Lidia Thorpe and the Blak Sovereign Movement from including any arguments in the official 'No' pamphlet for the Voice referendum unless they align with the Liberal-National view points, the senator said on Wednesday.
"The Coalition has made it clear to my office that they are the ones writing the No Pamphlet and that they are only interested in my contribution if it aligns with their priorities. They will decide what goes in the pamphlet," Senator Thorpe said.
"I've been excluded from the writing of the No pamphlet as there are no processes in place to provide a fair discussion of what should be in it or to ensure that my analysis of the Voice will be shared with the Australian people.
"I will be putting out a statement on the Voice with a focus on providing information to those voting on the referendum that is factual, explains how the Voice is just another advisory body that can be ignored by government and was not informed by self-determination. The Voice is not a step in the right direction."
The Gunditjmara, Gunnai and Djab Wurrung senator for Victoria said the Blak Sovereign Movement "will prioritise the campaigns for Truth, Treaty, UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) and implementing the recommendations that will make a difference and have been sitting with the government for over 30 years".
Senator Thorpe said Minister Linda Burney's National Press Club speech had made clear "that the Voice is nothing more than another powerless advisory body".
"The Minister for Indigenous Australians attempted to explain how the Voice will make a difference by referring to how she has personally been told about the problems and solutions regarding CDP. These issues have existed for years, and First Nations peoples have repeatedly advocated for solutions, but the government hasn't done anything. Who is the Voice going to make representation to that can have more impact than the Minister for Indigenous Australians?," she said.
"Does the government not realise that it is the government and it has the power to introduce policies that will close the gap? Do the communities that have talked directly to the Minister for Indigenous Australians only have legitimacy if they are represented by the proposed Voice?"
Senator Thorpe said that while the Minister cited housing as a priority for the Voice, she had been urging the Housing Minister to include First Peoples in the Housing Affordability Future Fund "and the government doesn't want to hear about it".
The Senator also raised concerns about the prospective legislative limitations of the Voice.
"The government has repeatedly made it clear that it will determine what the Voice can and cannot make representation on. The Prime Minister did this when he laughed at the prospect of the Voice providing advice on January 26 or climate change... The Minister for Indigenous Australians confirmed it by stating that the priorities for the Voice were already set. And they are correct. The scope of the Voice would be determined by legislation that is passed by the government," she said.
"The inclusion of the Voice in the Constitution will only ensure that there is a body called the Voice. How that body is formed and what that body can have a say on would be determined by legislation. The government's messaging has been so confused because they are trying to give substance to what is just another powerless advisory body."
