The Labor government’s election pledge to put the Indigenous Voice in the constitution could divert attention away from the real problems that the Aboriginal community in remote areas is dealing with, says an Australian Liberal senator of Indigenous background.
It comes after newly elected prime minister Anthony Albanese promised he would implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart “in full.”
The statement, which was proposed as a petition by the First Nations National Constitutional Convention in 2017, asks the government to establish a permanent body representing the Indigenous community in the parliament through a referendum.
The body would consist of Indigenous Australians whom the government needs to consult with on policies affecting the Aboriginal community, a process called “treaty.”…