The Voice is not a Band-Aid, or a programme, a set of reforms… It is, merely & purely, a system whereby Indigenous Australians have a formal, recognised mechanism whereby their voice will be heard by parliament. It will not in & of itself improve outcomes; it will simply make it easier for Indigenous Australians to be consulted, making it so much more likely that Indigenous Australians will be a part of solutions, not merely seen as the problem. It will take much more than The Voice to ensure that constructive reforms & programmes are carried out & maintained effectively & in a timely fashion, but I believe The Voice is an important step. Dutton apologised again for his walking out on The Apology, stating that he saw it as tokenistic & failed to grasp the importance of its symbolism. He then went on to paint The Voice as tokenistic, lacking substance. Is not he in danger of doing exactly the same thing? Of failing to recognise the symbolic importance of this change to a more consultative system, where Indigenous Australians are seen as agents in, not objects of change. He spoke well, voicing acknowledgement of past wrongs & a need to address ongoing issues. But he still failed the need to listen to & partner with Indigenous Australians. Apologetic he might be, but paternalistic he remains.
#TheVoice #TheApology