The debate on the upcoming vote for the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum has become “divisive” in the region, says Member of Barker Tony Pasin.
Mr Pasin claimed the referendum was having a real impact on the Australian people.
“Necessarily emotive, this debate didn’t need to be as divisive as it has become,” he said.
“That division played out in real time in my electorate office last month when a man in his 60s objected to my position on the Voice.
“Differences of opinion and robust debate in an MP’s office are to be expected and indeed encouraged, but the tirade of abuse directed at my staff (I was interstate) was totally unacceptable.
“As a result of his actions, my staff were shaken and activated the duress alarm. Making the situation worse, a 15-year-old work experience student witnessed the disturbing incident.”
He said the incident brought into sharp focus for him the real impact this referendum was having on the Australian people.
“By its very nature, this referendum is divisive. No attempt during the lead-up to it was made to bring the Yes and No camps together.
“Ordinarily, a constitutional convention is held prior to a referendum to seek consensus.
“A compromise that an overwhelming majority of Australians could accept. No such convention took place, but if it had, it may have resulted in us moving forward together with a plan limited to recognising Indigenous Australians in our Constitution, a proposal that surely would have garnered the level of support achieved in 1967.
“Instead, Prime Minister Albanese has elected to push ahead with a proposal that, on current polling, the majority of Australians reject, presumably because it is divisive, risky, and permanent.
“Irrespective of your view of this proposal, one thing we can all agree with is that it is dividing Australians.
“Sadly, it is the approach adopted by the Prime Minister more than anything else that has caused the division to play out right across Australia, including in my electorate office.”
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
