News and views from the Federal Member for Lindsay

By Melissa McIntosh

I HAVE consulted with our community about the upcoming Voice referendum, including a survey on whether local people support constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia’s first peoples, and if they support the Voice to Parliament.

The majority of respondents are in favour of Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia’s first peoples.

However, an overwhelming majority said No to the Voice.

Feedback from our community has been around the lack of detail provided on the Voice and what risks and implications it could have. People want us to be united, not divided, and to have equality for all which is everything in this country.

Let’s remember the Albanese Labor Government has been scant on detail since the beginning of this referendum debate, when they refused to release the original advice from the Solicitor General regarding this risky change to our nation’s Constitution.

I want better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Sydney, which is best achieved through local programs on the ground. We have many Aboriginal support organisations in Lindsay which are making a real and positive impact.

The Liberal Party supports local and regional Voices that will ensure communities have a say about what will best suit them, not this Voice referendum, which is the biggest change to our Constitution in history, and is not bringing people together but causing division.