It is likely that we are going to have a 'Voice' referendum to vote on in the near future, if an activist government minister gets his way.

All Austrian citizens are supposed to be equal, but blacktivists and the Left are still snarling about ‘recognition’ for a minute section of the community, most of whom live the same way as the rest of us. These blacktivisits and lefties want a ‘special body’ enshrined in our Constitution.

The wreckers of society have been joined by virtue-signalling law firms, banks, superannuation funds and accounting firms. What makes these totally irrelevant outfits think that they have to stick their noses in is anybody’s guess.

The nonsense of ‘recognition’ is part of the just-defeated ‘middle-of-the-road’ Labor party’s divisive policies. The ‘bit-better-than-Labor’ Coalition, is equally keen to divide the country along racial lines.

Remember ATSIC?

Show-Indigenous Affairs minister, Ken Wyatt ,has come up with a proposed laws to establish to establish yet another commision run by elected so-called elders.

Again. Remember ATSIC!

Messrs. Morgan Beggs and Daniel ,of the Institute of Public Affairs, remind readers of the Spectator of the obvious “mission creep” resulting from such a body, which could never be confined to issues solely affecting indigenous Australians. All major policies - health, education and infrastructure - apply to ALL Australians. The body could, and probably would, try to shame a weak government into agreeing with its advice if any legislation for ALL Australians went against indigenous ‘voice’.

Begg and Wild quote Sir Robert Menzies, who said: “The power to advise is the power to coerce.

Not sure how this got under Technical Support. I clicked on new and current affairs.

Bottom of the barrel seems to suit

Program after program has been established to improve Aborigines’ lot, costing many billions of dollars over the years. Some were partly or wholly run by Aboriginals for Aboriginals. Some achieved some benefits, but most failed completely. The result to date? Apart from assimilated Aborigines who live their lives much the same as most non-Aboriginals, the lot of the rest has steadfastly failed to improve.

It is not our responsibility to atone for British settlement. Nobody can turn back the clock. People identify with an aboriginal background have no rights to special privileges because their ancestors were here before white Australians.

We all need to get over it. We need to stop the nonsense of smoking ceremonies and welcome-to-country paid performances that mean nothing to 97% of the population in the 21st Century.

Enough of the victimhood!

If this minority of Australians wishes to keep aspects of their culture alive, let them do it at their own expense, just as other minorities do.

Dear Belly,

Yep.

But I'm not sure why events in Austria should concern us. Perhaps they have a different constitution over there since our constitution explicitly says 'The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to:the people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws.'

So perhaps the Austrians might not know that much about our constitution but any decent Australian should at least have some clue.

Better late than never!

>"The power to advise is the power to coerce"
I don't know what the context of that Menzies quote was, but on the face of it I think he got it wrong – 'tis not the power to advise that's the power to coerce; it's the power to prevent the advice of others from being heard.

And it's well known that there's a widespread sense among our Aboriginal population that they're not getting heard. Hence the Uluru statement.

People are indeed supposed to be equal - but when equality is used as an excuse for failure to address disadvantage, it's safe to conclude some people are defining it wrongly!

I'm glad the government have finally rejected the preposterous notion that the Voice would amount to a third chamber of parliament, despite having no legislative power. Having said that, I think it should be given one very specific legislative ability: the power of veto on the government's use of the constitution's race powers.

I also think there should be a sunset clause. It should expire after two hundred and thirtysomething years (the amount of time from the First Fleet until its inception).