Changing our Constitution "The Voice" and the important things you should consider before voting in the referendum. (not that I believe it will ultimately matter anyway)
The Constitution is the governing Act of this continent we call Australia.
Firstly, it matters not what anyone says the voice is, it matters not what anyone claims it to be, or what they say it will mean, or won't mean, whether it is endorsed by celebrities or not, what politicians say, what the media says, what different groups of the public say, whether it is claimed to be an advisory body or not, etc etc
All that matters is what the change actually says in the constitution.
Law is governed by the words in legislation and their interpretation.
What Does it Say ?
Lets break it down
First it wishes to add a new Chapter
Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
So here we recognise Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the first peoples of Australia which we all know they are, so this certainly appears like a good thing.
* there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
Here there is going to be a body being an organisation given legal recognition, i.e recognition at law. So there is going to be a legally recognised body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
Ok that sounds all good as well notwithstanding we don't know who is in it, or whether or not they actually need to be First Peoples ?
* the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
Ok this legal organisation can (if it wants) (May) make representations to both the Parliament and the Executive of the Commonwealth relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
Ok this sounds all good as well so these indigenous or possibly non indigenous people in this organisation called "The Voice" can make suggestions to parliament, excellent.
* the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.
Ok so here, subject to this constitution, i.e the powers the parliament already has mainly covered under section 51 (that are very broad) but goes on to include the powers to decide its composition, so that means the parliament will decide who is in the voice, its functions, so the parliament will decide what the voice does, its powers, so the parliament will decide what powers the voice can have, and its procedures so the parliament will decide how the voice organisation does it.
So now we have recognised the first people of Australia we have created a legal entity to represent them that the parliament controls completely in all respects.
So in my understanding we have now removed a voice for the indigenous by replacing them with a legal entity called the voice and the parliament can in effect do whatever it wants with this voice because we still do not know the composition of the voice, the functions of the voice, the powers of the voice or its procedures, and even if we did, the parliament will decide not us.
Ok so what for example would happen if the voice was added to the constitution by referendum then people who are not first peoples were put into it as decided by the parliament (its composition) then it was given new powers functions and procedures.
This in my view could be the perfect storm and this is why I have concerns.
I don't trust the government for very good reasons.
xxx Pastor Paul
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