Mr Turner admitted it was a lot easier for a “scare campaign” to be waged against the Voice to parliament.
“You know what people are like, if they are scared of the unknown. Politicians know that scare campaigns work better for them,” he said.
But another Queensland business leader, Denis Wagner, chairman of the listed construction supply company Wagner Holding and a member of the family that built the privately owned Toowoomba Airport, is more blunt about why the referendum question is not being supported like it is in NSW or Victoria.
“On the issue of support in Queensland for the Voice, my opinion is that maybe Queenslanders have put more thought into it than residents from other states,” he said.
A survey of top Queensland business executives by AFR Weekend has revealed they are as divided as the general population when it comes to their position on the Voice.
Queensland has a long-held reputation as a deeply conservative state, despite the fact it has had a state Labor government for all but five of the past 34 years.
While Brisbane and south-east Queensland might be considered quite progressive on par with inner-city Sydney and Melbourne, the rest of Queensland is a different beast.
Successive state governments have baulked at introducing daylight saving – which is popular in the south-east corner – for fear of antagonising those in regional Queensland.
Indigenous leader Noel Pearson this week admitted the “No” camp was winning the debate over the Voice to parliament. James Brickwood
“Queensland has long had a troubled history with social issues,” a senior ALP insider, who did not want to be named, said.
“The culture is changing, but it is still different from NSW and Victoria because it is inherently conservative on social issues.
“It is also the state which gave Australia [One Nation founder] Pauline Hanson, [United Australia Party founder] Clive Palmer and [Independent MP] Bob Katter.
Mr Wagner said he would not tell his staff how to vote.
“We do not intend to influence any stakeholders but rather let them make their own assessment,” he said.
Other Queensland-based listed companies, including Suncorp and Bank of Queensland, also said they had formal positions to support the Voice, but they would not answer questions as to why the majority of Queenslanders were not behind the proposal.
More guarded
Some high-profile Queensland-based companies declined to comment about a company policy on the Voice, including pizza chain Domino’s and beef giant AACo.
Travel organiser Corporate Travel Management also declined to comment, saying “they respect that people in their workforce will have their own views”.
Rail operator Aurizon and Virgin Australia have yet to declare their position on the Voice, with Virgin saying it is “consulting with First Nation team members to ensure they are heard and supported”.
While many companies were happy to pledge their support for the marriage equality plebiscite in 2017, companies were a bit more guarded about declaring their support for the Voice, perhaps a reflection of the differing views of their staff.
The latest Resolve Strategic opinion poll for The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age this week showed momentum for the Voice was slipping across the country, not just in Queensland, where there are now 58 per cent of people opposed.
The “No” vote was also ahead in Western Australia and South Australia, as opposed to the two biggest states, NSW (53 per cent) and Victoria (56 per cent), who back the change to the Constitution.
The Voice referendum needs four of the six states and a 50 per cent majority across the country.
About 28 per cent of Australia’s Indigenous population live in Queensland.
Yes campaigners this week admitted they were not panicking about opinion polls, but prominent Indigenous advocate Noel Pearson was the first to publicly admit the “No” camp was winning the debate.
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick says the Voice to parliament is the “right thing to do”. Jamila Toderas
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said he would be travelling the state to encourage voters to get behind the Voice to parliament, saying it was still “early days” in the campaign.
“I can’t speak for Queenslanders, I can only speak for me. I think we are a long way from an outcome yet in the referendum,” he said.
“I will certainly be campaigning not just in my own community, but across Queensland for a Yes vote because I think it is the right thing for Queensland and the right thing for Australia.”