The main failure of the Yes proponents in the Voice referendum is that they equate the average situation of First Nations people to the situation of each person.
Many First Nations people need help and should have a say in how that assistance is delivered.
That should be the case with all Australians.
In Gympie the Australian Bureau of Statistics tells us that median household income is $1022 per week.
For aboriginal households it is $1260 per week.
So it is probable that more non aboriginal people need help than aboriginal people in Gympie.
A fair way to do all of this is to supply help on the basis of needs – not aboriginality.
We need to find a way to avoid replicating the failure of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) which was a Voice and had control of programs to help aboriginals.
ATSIC wasted a lot of money and helped few, apart from those lucky enough to be on it.
It was wound up with the agreement of the Labor party (and most others apart from those running it.)
If the Voice becomes a permanent part of our constitution, it can’t be abolished and there is no guarantee that it won’t be like ATSIC in not representing those really in need.
It won’t have control of programs but no details have been given of its structure to ensure that it won’t duplicate the failed advocacy of ATSIC .
The Voice directly brings special representation to one group of Australians and this is based on “aboriginality”.
There is no evidence that this will help and the experience with ATSIC shows it will not.
Our government and constitution should treat all equally.
– Reg Lawler
Dagun
