Australian prime minister signs statement of intent to support constitutional Indigenous advisory body

The prime minister, premiers and chief ministers signed a statement of intent to work collaboratively and support a constitutionally enshrined voice. The signing came after Indigenous leader Pat Turner briefed the leaders on the connection between closing the wellbeing gap and constitutional recognition. “This is a reform that should be above party politics,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said after the signing. “This is about two things: recognition and consultation.” The statement said constitutional reform was a significant opportunity for recognition and acknowledged the “enduring strength of First People leadership”. It also recognised the importance of consulting them on matters directly affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. [...] Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has held out lending his support for the voice, saying while all parties wanted to work towards closing the gap, there wasn’t enough detail on the proposed constitutional change to determine whether it would work. He also accused the prime minister of withholding details of the voice as a deliberate political strategy.
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