6 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Australian Liberal Party, in opposition, has announced its rejection of the Government’s proposal to vote in a referendum at the end of the year to update its Constitution and include Aboriginal representation in Parliament.
In particular, they oppose the creation of an independent body to represent the ‘Indigenous Voice’ in the Australian Parliament, although they have insisted that they are not opposed to the recognition of Aboriginal Australians in the Constitution.
The former Minister of Indigenous Affairs of the Liberal Party until 2022, when Labor won the elections, Ken Wyatt, has announced his resignation for not agreeing with his party’s decision, expressing his “deep disappointment” with the group.
In an interview with the newspaper ‘The West Australian’, the politician, who was the first aboriginal to hold a position within the Government, lamented that “aboriginal people are trying to be heard, but the Liberals have rejected their invitation”.
The referendum question announced several weeks ago by the government of President Anthony Albanese includes a clause stating that “Parliament, subject to this Constitution, has the power to enact laws with respect to matters related to the ‘Indigenous Voice ‘, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures”.
To this day, the aboriginal question continues to be one of the burning issues in Australia, where indigenous communities do not share many of the norms contained in the Australian Constitution and therefore call for greater participation in government bodies.
