Indigenous Senator Quits Australian Greens Party over Disagreement on Indigenous Voice to Parliament
In a significant development, an Indigenous senator in Australia has resigned from the minor Greens party due to a disagreement over a planned referendum that would establish an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. This decision highlights the deep divisions among Indigenous Australians regarding the referendum and poses challenges for the government in passing related legislation through the Senate.
The Greens party has voiced its support for the upcoming referendum, which is likely to take place later this year. The proposed referendum aims to enshrine in the constitution a body representing Indigenous people, allowing them to advise Parliament on policies that directly impact their lives. This body would be known as the Indigenous Voice.
However, Senator Lidia Thorpe, an Indigenous representative, held a different view. She advocated for Australia to first sign a treaty with its original inhabitants, acknowledging that they never ceded their sovereignty to British colonists. Senator Thorpe stated that the Greens’ support for the Indigenous Voice was in conflict with activists who are advocating for a treaty before establishing the Voice. Consequently, she felt unable to fully represent the grassroots black sovereign movement within the party and subsequently resigned.
Another prominent Indigenous senator, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, has also expressed opposition to the Indigenous Voice, arguing that it would divide the nation along racial lines. In fact, her conservative party, the Nationals, took an official stance against the referendum in November, leading senior lawmaker and Voice advocate Andrew Gee to leave the party.
Achieving bipartisan support has long been considered crucial for the success of a referendum. However, despite the divisions among Indigenous Australians, a recent opinion poll revealed that 56% of respondents were in favor of the Indigenous Voice, with 37% opposing and 7% undecided. The poll, conducted from February 1 to 4 and with a margin of error of 3 percentage points, surveyed 1,512 voters across the country.
Indigenous people make up 3.2% of Australia’s population according to the 2021 census, and they remain the most disadvantaged ethnic group in the country. They experience shorter lifespans, higher unemployment rates, lower educational attainment, and overrepresentation in the prison system compared to other Australians.
Leaders of the Greens, Adam Bandt and Mehreen Faruqi, expressed regret over Senator Thorpe’s departure from their progressive party. Bandt emphasized that the party’s constitution allows for differing positions on the Indigenous Voice, and Faruqi, who shares an alliance with Thorpe in fighting racism, expressed her commitment to continue working together on decolonization and climate justice.
Although Senator Thorpe has left the Greens, she indicated that she will continue collaborating with the party on environmental issues. The Greens advocate for a reduction of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 75% below 2005 levels by the end of the decade. The center-left Labor Party, which currently governs and enacted a 43% emissions reduction target, has relied on the Greens’ 12 senators to pass legislation opposed by the conservative opposition party. With Senator Thorpe’s departure, Labor now needs the support of two unaligned senators instead of one.
Despite the internal party dynamics and the resignation of Senator Thorpe, the government will still rely on the Greens to navigate its legislative agenda through the Senate. Bandt highlighted the ongoing significance of the Greens as a central force in the balance of power within the Senate.
Senator Thorpe has been a controversial figure in the Senate, facing criticism for referring to the British monarch during a swearing-in ceremony as the colonizing, her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her resignation as Greens deputy leader in October 2021 was prompted by a lack of disclosure regarding a previous intimate relationship with a former president of a biker gang.
The debate surrounding the Indigenous Voice to Parliament remains complex and contentious, with diverse perspectives and opinions clashing on how best to address the historical and ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous Australians. The path to achieving an inclusive and effective representation of Indigenous voices within the Australian political landscape continues to provoke debate and require careful consideration.
