Anthony Albanese finally agrees to explain the details of the Indigenous voice to Parliament with one pamphlet mailed to all Australians
- Brochures will be sent by Australian Post about the sound proposal
- The government agreed to the opposition’s request
- Mr Albanese refused to fund ‘yes and no’ campaigns
Anthony Albanese will have educational pamphlets explaining the Aboriginal vote to Parliament mailed to every Australian voter in a backhand concession to the demands of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
The federal government had previously said that booklets, like those used in previous referendums, would not be required as MPs can reach voters through a variety of media including television, email and social media.
The change in tune comes after Mr Dutton made a postal letter detailing the vote proposal a key condition of the Coalition’s support for the legislation required for a referendum.
However, the government has yet to agree to another of Mr. Dutton’s demands – that the Yes and No campaigns receive equal federal funding.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) agreed to mail fliers to voters detailing the vote to parliament
The back lip comes after Assistant Secretary to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman dismissed the need for any email in December.
The upcoming referendum will be the first in the digital age. At the time, taxpayers no longer needed to pay for a booklet to be sent to every household, he said in a media statement.
Modern technology allows parliamentarians to express their views to voters directly and regularly through a variety of sources, such as television, email and social media, which did not exist when the handbook was introduced in the early 20th century.
However, the government will now mail out leaflets detailing the cases for and against Vote to Parliament in an effort to secure opposition support for the legislation needed to hold the referendum.
It is understood that Special Secretary Don Farrell is responsible for preparing the publications.
Mr Dutton said mailing information pamphlets was a precedent that needed to be maintained.
“It would never have been possible for a prime minister to tell the Australian people he wants them to vote in the referendum and then just make an argument for one side of the issue,” he said.
“Frankly the Prime Minister has been very arrogant to think that he need not provide details to the Australian people.”
The opposition leader also argued that despite advances in modern technology, 40 percent of voters still read material that is sent to them during election campaigns.
It follows a series of demands by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (pictured) who has also called for equal public funding for the Yes and No campaigns
The Voice was introduced as an advisory body that will advise the Australian Parliament and government on issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (pictured, dancers performing at the Jarma Festival in north-east Arnhem Land)
Mr Dutton is expected to reveal his party’s position on The Voice next week, while the Citizens had already voiced their opposition to the proposal last year.
The Greens pledged their support for the proposal on Monday after Indigenous Sen. Lydia Thorpe, who wants a treaty with Indigenous people, defected before The Voice.
Australians will vote in a referendum in the second half of this year on whether the constitution should be amended to create a body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to advise federal parliament on policies affecting them.
