Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians
Senator Kerrynne Liddle
Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence
Warren Mundine AO
TRANSCRIPT
WA No Campaign Launch
20 August 2023
E&OE.
Senator Cash
Well ladies and gentlemen, what a day as we gather here at the Ascot Racecourse. I am joined by my very, very good friends and very close colleagues in Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Senator Kerrynne Liddle and of course, the fantastic Warren Mundine. And why are we here? We are here to officially launch the WA Liberals for ‘No’ campaign. And for anybody who’s been upstairs to the room, we have 1000 strong crowd and a waiting list of WA Liberals who are standing up to Mr. Albanese, are standing up to Canberra and they are saying no. They are saying no to Mr. Albanese’s Canberra-based, elitist voice. They are saying no to a voice that is risky, a voice that is unknown and a voice that of course – if you change the constitution, you change it permanently. But more than that, they are saying ‘no’ to something that is going to divide our country on race forever. So again, the official launch of the WA Liberal party’s campaign against Albanese’s Canberra-based voice. And it is really just fantastic to be joined today by a 1000 strong crowd, all prepared to get out there and do what we need to do over the next few months to ensure that Western Australia understands what they are actually voting. And together with Kerrynne, Jacinta and Warren, as we say to the people of Western Australia – if you don’t know, vote no. And I’ll hand over now to Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Thank you Michaelia. And I really want to, I want to thank my colleagues here today – Senator Liddle, Senator Cash as well as Warren Mundine, of course our colleagues that are waiting inside to be part of the event and all of those of you who have arrived today to state that you’re not here to support this referendum, you’re not here to support dividing our nation along the lines of race. I really want to thank the Western Australian Liberals for the stance that they have taken to ensure that we’re not going to damage our Constitution and therefore damage our nation through this referendum. This is the most divisive referendum that our country has had to endure so far. I think all of us here are looking forward to it’s coming to end so that we can actually get on with doing the real work and addressing the real problems that our country faces, that all Australians are faced with, certainly that are most marginalised are currently faced with. But look, it’s a beautiful day today. I am so heartened to know that there are 1000 strong people upstairs today, Australia has been coming together in droves to draw that line and to say no to say no to this divisive, risky, permanent Voice. We don’t need it in our country, it’s not going to solve the problems for our most marginalised. There are far better ways to move forward and that’s what we’re here to say. And so I want to thank Western Australians. I want to thank the Liberal Party here. I want to thank my colleagues of course who are standing strong. And of course, to Kerrynne and Warren for the work that they’ve been doing with me moving around the country to make sure that Australian’s are well informed going towards this referendum. Because I’m pretty sure as soon as Australian’s find out that there is no detail – well if you don’t know, then they’re gonna vote no. Kerrynne.
Kerrynne Liddle
Thank you, it is terrific to be here in Western Australia. I want to say to Western Australian’s and tell people that are gathered here today that this truly is risky, unknown and permanent. And it is with my lived experience – living, being raised in a regional area, spending a great deal of time in remote communities. And that’s not just getting in and having a guided tour – actually staying in those communities and working in the resources sector, in the tourism sector. Getting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into employment. And the numbers I’ve helped do that are in the many, many, many hundreds. And I say if this is about suggested by the ‘Yes’ campaign improving the lives of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Australian’s – It’s the wrong path, it’s the wrong proposition, it’s the wrong model and the way the Prime Minister has gone about this is divisive of itself and it is really disappointing that he has chosen this path to recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Constitution. These are not the same thing. The Voice is not the same as recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution. And I encourage all Western Australians to look at the detail, to look at the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ pamphlets and you’ll see that one is about vibe, the other is about facts. It is about the risk of this proposition in our Constitution, the unknown about this proposition in our Constitution and the permanency of this in our Constitution. Thank you, Warren.
Warren Mundine
Thank you for having us here and thank you for being here. You know I just come from Sydney, we had a big rally in Sydney last night, had over 1000 people there at that rally. Our rallies are Australian public – we don’t have people who are coming along who’s just waving the flag saying ‘yes, yes, yes’, it’s not about the vibe. We have rallies and we have events where Australians come who don’t know nothing about the Voice. Who do know they’ve heard of the Voice but they think its at some TV show or they’re not too sure what it is. And we have people even come who are ‘yes’, and we have people come in as ‘no.’ We want to talk to all Australians and listen to all Australians about this referendum. This Prime Minister, he is destroying the unity of this country through his reckless way of running this referendum. Anyone who’s studied history for five seconds about referendums, it’s about a bipartisan approach. It’s about bringing people together and that’s what it’s all about. We’ve seen the successful referendum, it’s about bringing people together. The ’67 referendum – it was 100% of the parliament passed that referendum notice and then it went out to the Australian people, it was over 90% of Australian supported it. He has had time and time again, the opportunity of sitting down with Peter Dutton, sitting down with the crossbenchers and working together to get a proper referendum up and running. But he has been big headed and he has stuck from day one. And then he’s all over the place. Like he says on election night – oh, we’re gonna have the full force of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. And then when someone asked him about treaties he goes – well, it’s not about treaties. Wait a minute, it’s in that document. And one of the most scary things which is a threat to democracy in this country, is truth-telling they talk about. And they’ve got this bill that’s going up in regard to misinformation and disinformation. What are we gonna do have a commissar of truth now in this country? The threat of freedom of speech, the threat of what’s behind this referendum. As I say, like the team will say – if you don’t know, vote no.
Journalist
What’s your response or your impressions of Albanese’s or our Prime Minister’s call yesterday through Labor’s National Conference that make that sort of a big pitch to get out and support a ‘yes’ vote?
Warren Mundine
He should have been months ago, prior to the last election – he should have been sitting down with the government of the day then, sitting down with the opposition of the day then. Peter Dutton reached out to him and gave you know questions – 15 questions to have answered those questions. And then Peter Dutton announced only a few days ago about what if the Coalition wins the next government, is what their plans are. And there only just this far apart, we’re only just this far apart. Everyone wants to recognize Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander’s in the constitution but crying out to this Voice where they could have sat out to have a conversation. And we’re seeing it even in the campaign, you know like some of the corporations have banned me from going to their boards and talking to them, some of the some of the schools have done the same thing you know – they’ve had all the ‘yes’ campaigners and that there. We want a civilized, mature discussion where both sides can prosecute their cases. Stop with nonsense and you know the Prime Minister talks about unity and then he starts calling people ‘Chicken Little’ and starts abusing them. That does not bring this country together. Now, it may surprise you, you know I was born in the 1950s, I know you’ve all looked at me saying you’re a very handsome, good-looking bloke and look young. But the fact of the matter is, you know he should be bringing people together. The last 12 months, 14 months – I’ve never seen so much racial abuse in this country in my entire life. So much of it, it is incredible. And this is what the Prime Minister has allowed to happen by his assault. I’ve said it 100 times and I’ll say it again today – Prime Minister, go and see the Leader of the Opposition, sit down and say to the public, vitriolic attacks and abuse is not on. Just want a conversation where people can prosecute their own case whether it’s ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
Journalist
Given recent polling, would you accept that your starting this race ahead?
Warren Mundine
Well, it’s really surprising but when you look at the polling and look you’ve got to be mindful that most people in any election campaign don’t think about it until the elections been called or the referendum’s been called. And then they start you know, thinking about it. So you got to take that with a bit of salt, ok. The thing that I find interesting is when the Prime Minister spoke about in August at Garma about Voice, they had 80% support and then it’s just been going down and down and down and down ever since. So, if that’s not a warning that he shouldn’t have gone out there and tried to have a vicious referendum. I don’t know what’s going to convince.
Speaker
Are there any questions for the Senators?
Journalist
Well yeah, Senator Cash. Do turnouts like this one organized by your party, 1000 people here, a 1000 people in Sydney yesterday according to Mr Mundine. Does that tell you that the ‘yes’ campaign is ‘dead’ like some people in Labor say it is?
Senator Cash
No, absolutely not and we know we have a long way to go. But every day more and more Australians, they question what is the Voice actually about and there is an absolute lack of detail for them. Mr. Albanese is asking the Australian public – sign here and I’ll tell you later what you’ve voted for. But on top of that, I’ll send you an invoice. This is all about Mr. Albanese failing to provide the Australian people with the necessary details. And why? Because there is none. As Jacinta and Kerrynne and Warren have said, as Peter Dutton has said – we all support constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians. But that is not what this referendum is about. This referendum is about a) dividing our country on the basis of race, b) it is risky, because ultimately it does open up a legal can of worms and the High Court of Australia will be the ones telling Australians what they will do. It is unknown because even Mr. Albanese himself, when he was asked recently read the full Uluru Statement from the Heart, the 26 pages. Not only did he say he hadn’t, which is a failure within itself. He then had the contempt and the audacity to say why would I? Well, Mr. Albanese on behalf of Western Australian’s – a) your government under you has committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full and that means voice, treaty, truth. And it clearly sets that stuff right out in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. So, we’ve got a grassroots campaign – we don’t have the millions and millions of dollars that the ‘yes’ campaign has, the woke corporates all over Australia. This is a grassroots campaign – Jacinta, Kerrynne, Warren moving around Australia backed by the Federal Liberal party, the Federal National Party and it is all about explaining clearly to Australia what the Voice actually is but more than that, what it is not.
Journalist
Just on that note, there seems to be a lot of big corporations, big companies around Western Australia and in WA, Wesfarmers and the like that are handing a lot of money to the ‘yes’ campaign. Doesn’t appear to be resonating on the polls. What do you think people make as a Senator for WA of these big companies?
Senator Cash
Well I think big companies should actually stick to there business. This is not a decision for the big corporates of Australia. This is a decision for individual Australian’s, this is a decision for individuals workers. And quite frankly, big companies who want to donate their cash to the ‘yes’ campaign, I personally think you’d be better off donating it to, for example – an Indigenous women’s shelter, an Indigenous school, doing something about what’s actually happening on the ground here in Laverton and Leonora. Why don’t they listen to the voices of the people in Laverton and Leonora who are screaming out for help.
Journalist
Senator Cash, in relation to things like that – Do you think there’s pressure on employees as well to say ‘yes’ when it comes to putting that message?
Senator Cash
Well, can I tell you – shame on those companies if there is. This is not a decision for those companies. This is not a decision for woke corporates. This is why we are running a grassroots campaign around Australia because referendums regardless of when they are held, they are about a decision for each individual in Australia. And we are talking directly to the Australian people about what the referendum is but more importantly… what Mr. Albanese’s referendum is not. And I know Jacinta just wanted to make a few comments as well.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Just on that note and I’ve got a message for the likes of Wesfarmers, Rio Tinto, BHP. The millions of dollars that you poured into this campaign, you could have put for example toward a school like Yipirinya School in Alice Springs where just the other night, a group of 12 year olds from that school – had stolen a bus, had ran it into a tree. These kids come from, they are the most marginalised kids in our community. The circumstances that they live in, I’m sure those Heads of those organizations would never, would be beside themselves to get children when faced with the same sorts of issues these kids at Pickering School are faced with. But if these children actually had accommodation instead of a proposal sitting on Minister Burney’s desk for well over 12 months now. If they had the accommodation that would ensure that they had a safe place to sleep at night with an education focus and adults that are tending to their needs and upholding their human rights, we might not see them in circumstances like the circumstances we saw them the other night. So this is not about ticking a box in a Reconciliation Action Plan to appear virtuous for Indigenous Australians. This decision is not just going to impact Indigenous Australians but of course our most marginalised who will further be left behind. It affects each and every Australian going forward and I can’t stress that enough. But seriously, if these organizations wanted to do something effective, wanted to impact positively the lives of our most marginalised. Really, all you need to do is ask myself, you can ask Kerrynne, you can ask Warren where to invest your money appropriately, so that you will actually see those changes occurring in a positive way going forward. But other than that, all these companies have demonstrated is your weak virtue signaling, an easy way to tick a box and ostracise a number of your employees. That’s what you’ve done. Even Qantas, I get Qantas staff come to me all the time explaining that they feel ostracized in their workplace, that they feel like they are under pressure to support this. But It’s not their position to support the ‘yes’ vote. As I’m sure there are many people working under these companies across Australia right now, feeling this way. And in many ways, perhaps you’re doing the job of the ‘no’ campaign for us in ostracizing your own employees.
Journalist
The Prime Minister has said that the ‘yes’ result will be dependent on volunteers explaining the Voice to voters. What will the ‘no’ campaign be dependent on?
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Well, the ‘no’ campaign is dependent on days like today where we’ve got a turnout of over 1000 people. We’ve had that at the CPAC conference over the weekend, we had almost 1500 People in Toowoomba. This tells me that Australian’s, everyday, grassroots Australians are absolutely wanting to fight to keep this country unified. And that’s what we’re relying on. We’re relying on Mums and Dads and those Grandparents to speak to their family members, to have those important conversations, to dig deep in their pockets. That’s who we’re being funded by, everyday Australians who are saying – you know what, sometimes in some cases I get messages of those who say I can’t afford much but I want to put $50 towards this because I believe in this so much and we are so appreciative of those people who are digging deep to do that. And if they can’t put money toward it, they are volunteering, and so we’ve got 1000s of people across the country now volunteering, signing up volunteerforno.com.au. And they are, they are showing us with their actions – that they’re prepared to fight for our country, to ensure that people are well informed to vote no going forward. And you know what, I’m also getting people who are traditionally Labor voters reaching out and saying – I’ve been a Labor voter all my life but I cannot for the life of me support the Albanese government going forward in their push to divide this country. So even Albanese is ostracizing some of his own.
Journalist
Senator Price, the Aboriginal Heritage Cultural Legislation Act was a state issue although it was debated in Federal Parliament. Do you think it had an effect outside Western Australia’s boundaries on the Voice?
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Absolutely. You know the fact that the Western Australian government has had to repeal this ridiculous law which has impacted Western Australians in the worst possible way. The rest of the country has sat up and taken notice of this. And it should never have come about in the first place. I know that Tanya Plibersek has phrased it as being a wonderful piece of legislation looking to roll it out nationally. Well, they’ve gone quiet on that now. And it’s evident as to why they’ve gone quiet on that because it’s impacted Australians negatively, it’s impacted I think certainly the support for the ‘yes’ vote here in Western Australia. But that’s the thing, right? This is a piece of legislation that can be rolled back. If Australia votes ‘yes’, this is our constitution changed forever. You can’t simply roll back a bad amendment such as the Voice to Parliament. But you can, as the Western Australian government has demonstrated roll back a really bad piece of legislation that has impacted Western Australian’s quite negatively. And my concern is that if a ‘yes’ vote were to be successful, these are the sorts of measures that will be applied nationally, that would have a negative impact on all Australia’s – not just Indigenous Australians. But the demand from the activist once they have their whole leg in the door, nevermind their foot in the door will be detrimental for all of Australia. The demands will be pushed and met.
Kerrynne Liddle
This is also about accountability, it’s about accountability right now and that’s possible without Voice. And when I talk about accountability, I’m talking about politicians at the State and Federal level, local governments, public servants, program providers – talking to the people that they service, and asking hypocrisy. Senator Nampijimpa Price, myself and Senator Thorpe put up a proposition to ask that the Senate be allowed to look at organizations following an ANAO report which looked at the land councils. We are for the inquiry to look at the Land Councils and their service deliveries. The reason that they exist is to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their respective areas. But also the organization that exist for intergenerational benefit and that includes those Native Title Organisations and PBC’s that also exist. But, the Greens and Labor in all of their speeches in response won’t support it. Now how is that not hypocrisy when we can do accountability right now? We don’t need to wait for voice. They just need to respond right now to the issues that are affecting Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people today.
Senator Cash
Thank you all very much because we’ve all got to get upstairs now.
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