The joint parliamentary committee on constitutional reform has released its final report today, endorsing the proposal for an Indigenous voice to parliament and recommending “a process of co-design” between the government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to work through the detail during the next parliament.
The committee has also recommended the legal form and role of the voice should be determined after this process of co-design, a recommendation that has come in for criticism from some Indigenous people and organisations.
“There has been some quite intense, discussion on what should come first, a referendum, legislation or co-design,” Senator Patrick Dodson said, in tabling the report.
“In some ways this is a matter of political judgement, working through all of the legal consequences that words bring to constitutional consideration to achieve a successful outcome for First Nations peoples and the Australian community.”
The committee also recommends the establishment of a national resting place in Canberra for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander unknown remains as a place for commemoration, healing and reflection.
The Greens senator Rachel Siewert has released a minority report taking the view that a referendum should take place before any co-design process.
“We disagree that the design of the voice should come first and are disappointed that the majority report is unable even to agree to support constitutional entrenchment of the voice, despite the clear support by First Nations peoples for the voice and constitutional change,” Siewert said.
Earlier today, the committee process was criticised by some Aboriginal leaders as another “can-kicking exercise” to avoid making a commitment to negotiate with First Nations people.
“Labor will be guided by this report,” Dodson said. “As a party we remain committed to using this report as one step towards the future of a reconciled Australia.”
Dodson also reiterated Labor’s commitment to holding a plebiscite on the issue of a republic but said constitutional change to embed an Indigenous voice was Labor’s “first priority and our clear focus”.
The joint select committee is the most recent in a line of inquiries, including the Referendum Council (2017), the Uluru Statement from the Heart (2017), the joint select committee on constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (2015), and the expert panel on constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians (2012).
