Dear Mavs,

Going to Quadrant for an uninformed take by a flog who doesn't even seem to have read the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process report is not very bright.

The report states: "Each region decides how best to draw its voice members (i.e. election, nomination/expressions of interest/selection, drawing on structures based in traditional law and custom, or a combination) and how many voice members there will be."

So there will likely be both delegates and representatives, something the author does not acknowledge.

Nor does he acknowledge there are fixed terms or a higher standard of what makes a fit and proper person than the Australian Parliament mandates.

Guidance in the report of what should constitute that 'fit and proper person' include:

- conviction for certain serious offences, e.g.,
punishable by imprisonment of a period
greater than 12 months or other offences
involving dishonesty that are punishable by
imprisonment of at least 3 months;
− breach of a civil penalty provision; and
− deemed to repeatedly break the law.

There are a few current MPs on both sides who would be levered out of parliament if this were applied to them.

My advice my dear Mavs, is to expand your reading list. Quadrant and the Spectator just aren't going to cut it if you are seeking an informed opinion.

All the best.

Presently most aboriginal activists are self-appointed mouthpieces performing for the benefit of their back pockets.

The aboriginal people should elect anyone that is part of the voice and not the inner city woke elites.

The report drawn up by these self-appointed activists encourages the appointment of "representatives" by (election, nomination/expressions of interest/selection, drawing on structures based on traditional law and custom, or a combination) which essentially means activists will be appointed for activists by activists for the benefit of rent-seeking activists. Any attempt to impose actual democracy on this gang will be considered cultural colonialism.

What we will get is an ASIC with corruption on steroids that is protected by the constitution.

Hi shadowminister

Your concerns about "activists will be appointed for activists by activists for the benefit of rent-seeking activists" is on the money.

SHORT EXAMPLE - A PRECEDENT

This is what happened at the 2019 Victorian First Peoples' Assembly election where "only 7% of the eligible [First Nation] voters turned out to vote".

Presumably the 7% were friends, family, fellow tribe, "mob" or activists supporting their own activists.

Given this miniscule Voter Turnout the Victorian First Peoples' Assembly is hardly a democraticly appointed represenatative body.

The Victorian...Assembly is held up as a model by many federal level activists and Labor, Green and teal(?) politicians in Federal Parliament.

MORE DETAIL

An election to elect representatives to the First Peoples' Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria occurred in 2019. The election filled seats to the body which was charged with the responsibility of preparing for negotiations with the Government of Victoria about a treaty with the state's Aboriginal population.

The voting period was 16 September to 20 October 2019.[1] Only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria and at least 16 years of age were eligible to vote in the election.[2][3] However,

only 7% of the eligible voters turned out to vote."

Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Victorian_First_Peoples%27_Assembly_election

The comment: "activists will be appointed for activists by activists for the benefit of rent-seeking activists" applies equally to all our elected bodies. One of the reasons the teal independents did so well was because people were fed up with our democratic system being manipulated by the self appointed few.
The key difference is that the three tiers of givernment exercise real power. The proposed voice will have no power other than the quality of their arguments.
The comment: 'only 7% of the eligible voters turned out to vote.' is not all that it seems. Aboriginal people have expereinced 200 years of empty promises - we should not underestimate the level of disenchantment with engaging in 'the white man's games'

Well said - BAYGON!

Nothing has changed since this thread was started a week ago.

Just vote yes or no, and stop the childish bickering and bulls....ing.