A ‘secret agenda for The Voice’ has allegedly been left in a Canberra cafe – sparking fears that the way of life in Australia will be turned upside down if the referendum is held.
The alleged 11-point agenda, which was apparently found by a member of the public and delivered to One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson, outlines various ‘opportunities’ to pursue if Parliament’s vote is enshrined in the Constitution.
They include Indigenous job quotas, taking over Australian beaches and national parks, and recommending that First Nations people be given first choice for all public housing.
Ms Hanson told the Federal Parliament on Wednesday that she had been contacted by a member of the public concerned after finding the alleged document in a cafe in Wodden.
She said the note was left by a group believed to have been employed by the Australian National Aboriginal Agency, a $4.5 billion government body set up to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“It bothered me a lot,” she later told the Senate.
“I try to say to people…if you give this yes vote, this is what you can open up to.”
However, NIAA denied any involvement in creating the 11-Point Voice agenda.
Appearing close to tears several times during his Thursday announcement, Anthony Albanese revealed the exact question he’ll be asking the audience.
The alleged 11-point plan sent to Senator Hanson recommended that First Nations people be given first choice for all public housing and return beaches and national parks to “mob property that traditionally inhabited the area.”
According to the document purportedly, non-Indigenous Australians who use those beaches or national parks would subsequently be charged a fee, which would generate revenue for the Aboriginal owners.
Senator Hanson now questions whether Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is aware of the suggestions the group is allegedly making, and if not, who is overseeing the body.
“If the Prime Minister is aware of these initiatives outlined by NIAA, it appears that Mr Albanese continues to mislead the Australian people about the extent of the powers to vote in Parliament,” she said.
Senator Hanson alleges that up to seven NIAA employees were in the coffee shop at the time her source was there with his wife, and they were discussing the contents of the document they left behind.
But in a statement to Daily Mail Australia, the NIAA said it “has not and has not” drafted an “early action/opportunity” plan for The Voice.
Anthony Albanese surrounded by members of the First Nations Referendum Working Group
First Nations Referendum Working Group member Dr Marcia Langton was emotional when she heard Anthony Albanese
Pauline Hanson revealed the contents of the letter in the Senate
The first call to action was to allocate 10 percent Indigenous job quotas across several key roles, including judges, magistrates, ADF officers, Armed Forces of the Philippines, state police forces, corrections departments, and ambassadors.
Universities would be required to drop all entrance exams and fees for First Nations students, and the group proposes reducing age pension eligibility requirements for First Nations people due to their shorter life expectancy.
Senator Hanson said her ‘concern levels are rising’ after receiving the correspondence, which also recommended that entry fees to any sporting and music events on First Australians’ public lands be cut by 50 per cent.
Rivers and streams would become the property of their traditional owners, allowing them to generate revenue and charge for water consumption. Mining royalties will follow a similar procedure.
The document stated that The Voice will also seek to review and vet all new liquor licenses, and ensure that all Voice employees receive the same salary as the Premier and Cabinet Department.
When Mr Albanese and his entourage left Thursday’s press conference, Labor greeted them with standing ovations.
In an emotional press conference, Mr Albanese said: “This moment has been a very long time in the making.”
In the picture: the 11 points that were clarified in the document
Finally, Senator Hanson claims that the letter she received states that income tax for First Nations people should be cut by 50 percent.
The letter was sent anonymously directly to her office on Tuesday, which means she has no way of following up and verifying the contents of the document with the informant.
But she believes her credibility as the eponymous café is located just 450m from the NIAA office in Canberra, and some of the points addressed are concerns she raised herself.
Others expressed skepticism about whether there was any point in trusting an anonymous message, given that the Prime Minister had clearly defined the standards for sound.
Announcing the final question all Australians are expected to be asked in the referendum, Albanese said the vote would not have veto power.
The role is to consult officials on matters directly affecting Indigenous communities, in an effort to work with First Nations people rather than on their behalf.
Critics of The Voice have called on the Albanian government for not explaining how the constitutional amendment works (pictured, Mr. Albanez and Minister Burney)
In the referendum, due to take place between October and December, the public will be asked to consider: ‘A proposed law: to change the Constitution to recognize First Peoples in Australia by creating an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice. Do you agree with this proposed amendment?
In an emotional press conference, Mr Albanese said: “This moment was in the making. It’s a simple matter of the heart.”
“Recognizing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in our Constitution is the best opportunity this country has had to address past grievances and take Australia forward for all, and the best way to do that is to give people a voice.”
For 122 years, the Constitution has made no reference to the indigenous people of the continent to whom the prime minister noted “over 65,000 years of uninterrupted association with this vast land”.
Mr Albanese brought 18 other people to the podium for his announcement, and his lip twitched as he made eye contact with Dr Marcia Langton, who was wiping away tears as the prime minister spoke.
The opposition has agreed to support the Aboriginal Voice of Parliament bill in the upper house (pictured, people take part in protests on Australia Day this year)
“I consider it a great honor to stand with the giants of Australia,” said Mr Albanese. I don’t know if I have their experience in life if I can be so generous and humble in my request. I’d like to think I would be, but you can’t stand in other people’s shoes.
This is a humble request. I tell Australia. Do not miss it. This is a real opportunity.
If a majority of Australians vote for The Voice, the Constitution will be amended as follows:
1. There shall be a body called Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice may lodge protests with Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
3. Under this Constitution, Parliament has the power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander vote, including its composition, powers and procedures.
