Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister's deceptive messaging on the Voice has downplayed its potential power and implications. That's certainly what he tried with Ben Fordham the other day. He could not, would not, acknowledge the link between the Voice and an Indigenous treaty. People won't be voting on a treaty at the referendum, he said—except that's precisely the activist reasoning behind the Voice. It's not recognition, because Indigenous Australia is widely recognised in many ways. It's not representation, because all Australians are equally represented in this parliament. It's about creating a legitimate body endorsed by the people to negotiate a treaty.

No treaty was signed in Australia's colonial era because there was no nation for the Crown to treat with. There still isn't. So Labor will effectively make the Voice the nation to treat with because the very idea that a nation can have a treaty with its own citizens is nonsense. This has been confirmed by Gabrielle Appleby from the University of New South Wales, who said,

Voice precedes Treaty because fair, modern treaty negotiations require first the establishment of a representative Indigenous body to negotiate the rules of the game with the state. It can’t be left to the state alone, and the state must have a group of people with whom to negotiate.

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Voice establishes the power for Treaty …

Since the Prime Minister is committed to voice, treaty and truth telling, it's about time he told the truth and stopped deceiving Australians about his personal vanity project and treaty vehicle. I will reiterate this. This is why they want the vote—to enshrine it in the Constitution so it can never be changed. We are going to endorse a body of people they can negotiate with. Remember what he said—voice, treaty, then truth telling. This is about splitting us as a nation. That's why the people of Australia must know the truth and they must vote no to the Voice referendum.