Queensland’s opposition leader will not support the Indigenous voice to parliament, saying he’s unconvinced by the proposed changes.
The Palaszczuk government branded as “beyond disappointing” LNP leader David Crisafulli’s long-awaited decision, confirmed the same day the bill to set up the Indigenous voice referendum passed the lower house of federal parliament.
“I have made up my mind: I won’t be voting for the voice to be enshrined in the constitution,” Mr Crisafulli told reporters on Wednesday.
“I note that the bill has just passed the lower house of parliament and I said I’d make my decision clear when I’d come to that decision.
“Having looked at the committee report, having looked at the prime minister’s contribution in Adelaide, I’m just not convinced that is the best mechanism to deliver changes needed.”
Mr Crisafulli’s position echoes his federal counterpart Peter Dutton’s stance against enshrining a national Indigenous voice in Australia’s constitution.
The LNP leader said he would not campaign on the referendum and would instead focus on Queensland issues.
He said there were two main reasons why he had chosen not to support the voice.
“I’m not convinced that the body and the way it will be enshrined in the constitution, that there’s not a level of risk about its powers,” he said.
“There is a second reason though, and that is I don’t feel that a voice that is legislated wouldn’t be able to achieve exactly the same thing as one that’s enshrined in the constitution without that level of risk.”
Mr Crisafulli said he would continue to fight and “stake his reputation on the line” for Indigenous communities ahead of next year’s state election.
He asked people “to take the time to come to a considered position and do it in a respectful way”.
Queensland cabinet minister Shannon Fentiman labelled Mr Crisafulli’s decision “beyond disappointing” given it came during National Reconciliation Week.
She called it an affront to the generosity offered by the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
“For David Crisafulli to say he just wants to focus on better health outcomes completely undermines the significance of this point in time of our history,” the new health minister said.
“How do you get better health outcomes for First Nations Queenslanders if you don’t invite them to sit at the table with you?”
All state and territory leaders have thrown their in-principle support behind the voice including the sole Liberal, Tasmania’s Jeremy Rockliff.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk supports a constitutional voice, saying it would help Australia “move forward as a nation”.
Mr Crisafulli has previously defended taking his time to announce his position.
He said in April a lot of Queenslanders would be taking their time to make an informed decision, and “I’m one of them”.
Australian Associated Press