The proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament would violate a fundamental principle of democracy and attempts to limit its scope would open the way for a legal challenge, argues the Vice-President of the Rule of Law Institute of Australia.
Speaking to Sky News Australia, the Rule of Law Institute’s Chris Merritt also explained that attempts to limit the scope of the Voice through legislation would conflict with the broad language the government is proposing to put to referendum – creating risks of a constitutional challenge.
“The minute you depart from that and start setting up one group having an inside track, if you like, to the ears of government, that is a departure from equal treatment.” The proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament would be a body advising the government on matters concerning First Nations Australians but Mr Merritt believes it would give Indigenous Australians an unfair influence over government policy.
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