Local state Member for Condamine Pat Weir has revealed he will be voting no at the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum. In the past, when asked how he will vote Mr Weir has said he would take time to look at both sides of the debate before making an informed decision.

Among his concerns was if the issue warrants amending the Constitution.

“Amending the Constitution is an extremely significant event and should only be amended if it is clear that there is no other way to address the issue and there will be no unintended consequences,” Mr Weir said.

“The precautionary principle must apply if there is any doubt.

“When any legislation is proposed, where the public are told that the details will be provided after the legislation is passed, the alarm bells start to ring.

“Yet this is what we are being told about this proposed amendment to the Constitution of our country.

“It is for this reason I will be voting no. I cannot support a proposal which provides insufficient detail.”

Mr Weir said we all want to see the issues which are confronted by our indigenous citizens addressed, wherever they live.

“However I do not believe they will be solved by simply amending the Constitution,” he said.

“If the Federal Government wishes to form a body to act as an Indigenous Voice to the parliament this can be done through the usual legislative process.”

Queensland LNP leader David Crisafulli has said he will be voting no but is allowing his colleagues to vote freely.

Local federal Member for Groom Garth Hamilton is also voting no.

Labor and The Greens support the Voice, while One Nation and Katter’s Australia Party oppose it.

The referendum is being held on Saturday, 14 October.

Early voting started yesterday and can be done in Warwick and Toowoomba.

To see locations and opening times, visit aec.gov.au/referendums/voting.htm. 

This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 5 October 2023.