Voice referendum fails; Jacinta Price touted as Nationals leader; Uber price hikes warned by company
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed the week of silence being undertaken by Indigenous leaders and attacked Opposition Leader Peter Dutton as “all trailer, no movie” for backflipping on his commitment for a second referendum for constitutional recognition.
In a question time so far dominated by recriminations over the Voice, Albanese sidestepped a question from the opposition over whether he was committed to a Makarrata Commission with truth-telling and treaty.
“What I am committed to post the referendum is respecting what Indigenous people have said. And what they have said is that they are undertaking a week, which is reasonable, for them to deal with what, for many people, regardless of what … people voted in this referendum, I think it would be acknowledged that for many people, such as the women who I sat with, who I sat in the red dirt of Uluru with last week, it would be a difficult time for them, and I think that should be respected,” Albanese said in a lengthy answer.
Indigenous supporters of the Voice on Saturday night called for a week of silence to grieve the outcome of the referendum, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to be lowered to half mast.
Albanese continued: “One of the things about this issue is that I have sought to grant agency to Indigenous Australians, to accept the invitation that they offered, that they worked through, that they had, hundreds of meetings involving thousands of people about.
“Now, the Voice was with constitutional recognition was important. Makarrata is simply a Yolngu word for coming together after struggle.
“I think that that is a reasonable thing to say, and in terms of where we go from here, I note that there has been a change of position again from the opposition when it comes to constitutional recognition.”
Dutton previously said he would pursue a referendum to recognise Aboriginal people in the Constitution, however after the outcome, said the party would create a fresh policy platform in the lead-up to the election.
Albanese accused Dutton of “now opposing himself”.
“The Leader of the Opposition is all trailer, no movie. He never actually sticks to a commitment,” Albanese said.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/australia-news-live-voice-campaign-fails-in-australia-economist-warns-population-surge-could-keep-rates-high-20231016-p5ecgh.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_national Voice referendum fails; Jacinta Price touted as Nationals leader; Uber price hikes warned by company