Whose priorities should the Voice reflect?

Readers' forum letters

I write in reference to the Government’s promotion of the Voice at the Australian Press Club on July 5, where the Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney made a speech.

The Minister said: “The Voice will be an independent representative advisory body…..”.

She also exposed her intention to ignore the Voice’s independence by dictating HER priorities for the Voice, essentially usurping control over the Voice’s agenda.

She did this by saying: “I will ask the Voice to consider four main priority areas; health, education, jobs and housing”.

The Voice is supposed to ask (advise) HER (the Minister) to consider ALL the things that Aboriginal people need and want; not what Linda Burney wants.

That doesn’t sound like an independent Voice to me; it sounds more like Linda Burney is trying to take control of the Voice before it is even established.

She also said: “I will ask for and encourage fresh ideas from the Voice”.

That is a great idea because much of her stale ideas appear to be meaningless clichés or insults to anybody who disagrees with her or may want to vote NO.

The Minister’s speech clearly shows she believes that she knows, better than anybody else, what the Aboriginal people want.

If that is true surely there is no need for the Voice at all.

More importantly, if her four main priority areas are really priorities, why has she, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, waited 14 months to say so while doing nothing about those priorities?

I fear the Government may have the wrong priorities.

Email, Jul 9
John King, San Remo

1 Comment on "Whose priorities should the Voice reflect?"

  1. George Kennedy | July 14, 2023 at 5:29 pm |

    Linda Burney is a humble person trying to centre on the real meaning of “The Voice” after scores of misleading and absurd attacks on her during recent Question Times in Parliament. I believe she is trying to explain that “The Voice” is actually simple and will essentially be addressing basic needs of Aboriginal people ( such as education, health, housing and employment). The ridiculous assertions of the “No” vote claim a other topics (defence, finance) will be covered.

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