If the "no" vote prevails in the upcoming referendum it will be "very difficult for Indigenous Australians", the Prime Minister says, but the government "won't legislate the Voice regardless".
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Speaking exclusively to The Advocate in Devonport on Tuesday afternoon, Anthony Albanese said his government would respect the result.
"I've said that it will be more difficult, I believe, to achieve positive outcomes," Mr Albanese said.
"We'll continue to engage, but there won't be a formal structure and bear in mind the reason why Indigenous people want to get (the Voice) enshrined as well is there have been various formal structures and they just disappear and (they) aren't left with anything.
"The other thing that's clear about this and Indigenous people, Noel Pearson is one of the people, who speak about with agency, with empowerment comes responsibility, and Indigenous people are saying they want responsibility for outcomes as well.
"And if it is not successful, then I think that will be - I obviously don't want to see that outcome - but it has to be respected."
A 'modest request' for friendship
The Voice was "a modest request", Mr Albanese said, with "Indigenous Australians having a hand out asking for it just to be joined in friendship".
"It's very clear when you read the words, the first bit is in recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first peoples of Australia," he said.
"And then just there shall be a body, the Voice, it may give matters affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, you know what, that's what it'll do.
"And then thirdly the primacy of the Parliament states the functions, procedures, composition of the Voice will be subject to legislation by the Parliament."
Countdown to referendum an 'opportunity'
While opinion polls strongly suggest the referendum is headed for defeat, the Prime Minister remained positive, seeing the next three and a half weeks as an opportunity to convince Australians to vote "yes".
"There are lots of examples overseas where polling has been one way and then changed over the period when people focus on a campaign, because a referendum is different from an election campaign," he said.
"People will focus on what the alternative is too and the alternative is more of the same.
"And if we do the same thing, we should expect the same outcomes and we still have an eight-year life expectancy gap.
"We have a greater chance of an Indigenous young male going to jail than a university. And we just need to do better."
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Coalition 'attempting to divide'
Mr Albanese was critical of opposition leader Peter Dutton's stance, arguing it was driven by a political loss.
"Now, I think what has occurred here is that after the Aston by-election where the Liberal Party lost a seat, the first opposition to lose a seat to the government in a by-election in 100 years, it was that week before the committee process had been set up, he (Mr Dutton) chose to declare his opposition," he said.
"Now he's also someone who walked out on the apology because he found it so, so much something he couldn't bear.
"So these actions are consistent with that character, and with attempting to divide and some of the Liberals have been very open about seeing this as an opportunity to try to damage the government rather than the issue in itself.
Anthony Haneveer
Born and raised in the North-West, Anthony is committed to sharing the stories that matter to the people of our region.
Born and raised in the North-West, Anthony is committed to sharing the stories that matter to the people of our region.
