Position on Voice Building

By Kirra Livingstone

MEMBER for Fisher Andrew Wallace and Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price discussed their position on the Voice to Parliament, ahead of a free community Voice Forum in Caloundra last week.

MP Andrew Wallace said the Albanese government has not provided enough information regarding what the Voice will entail, and that he is banking on Australians to vote yes out of goodwill.

“What the PM is doing, in a very aggressive way, is trying to foist upon the Australian people a proposal to change the constitution by way of a referendum, that’s risky, its unknown, its permanent and its divisive,” he said.

“He is hoping the Australian people’s goodwill will extend from constitutional recognition, which is supported by more than 90% of Australians…

“Over into something Australians know very little about, he as the prime minister of this country, has given us such very little detail.”

Senator Jacinta Price added the Voice is racist, as it assumes all indigenous Australians are disadvantaged, which she believes is false.

“…not all indigenous Australians are disadvantaged, I’m certainly not, but this means they won’t be able to address those who are actually really disadvantaged,” she said.

“Our most disadvantaged are in remote indigenous communities where they are still speaking their native language, where English is sometimes a third language to tooth comb to the $33 billion per year that are acquired to close the gap, which organisations are funded to close the gap with and haven’t audited those funds

“This is to determine its actually affecting our most marginalised or how it can be better spent and how to account those who aren’t in fact producing the outcomes they are funded to do.”

The Sunshine Coast Infrastructure Summit, held at the Innovation Centre at the University of the Sunshine Coast last Friday, attracted approximately 180 attendees from government, industry groups, businesses, schools and the community.

The event, hosted collaboratively by Sunshine Coast Council, Sunshine Coast Business Council and Infrastructure Association of Queensland, provided a platform for diverse voices to contribute to the region’s infrastructure, planning looking out to 2050 and beyond.

Highlights included an online address by Jerry Dobrovolny, Chief Administrative Officer and Commissioner of Metro Vancouver, who shared insights on Vancouver’s preparation for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including infrastructure delivery and legacy planning.

Key points emphasised the importance of planning not only for the Games, but also considering other challenges and opportunities, including the impacts of climate change; transport considerations such as heavy rail, mass transit and active transport solutions; fostering strong partnerships among stakeholders and remembering that hosting the Games will fundamentally change a region.

Keynote Kate Meyrick, an Urbis Director internationally recognised as a thought leader in shaping thinking about the global competitiveness of Australian cities, their future identity and the quality of life they offer, delivered a presentation on ‘What makes a region great?’.

Ms Meyrick also facilitated a discussion on the Sunshine Coast’s future, encouraging attendees to think big and explore sustainable infrastructure solutions and opportunities.

The workshops generated ideas on maximising sustainability, maintaining the livability attributes of the Sunshine Coast and how future technologies can be key to addressing the impacts associated with global issues, but from a local perspective.

Themes included how the Sunshine Coast could be self-sustaining in areas such as recycling and advanced manufacturing, ideas to manage waste, value-add to production and create new products and services; investing in more sustainable infrastructure solutions; optimising water resources by better use of existing water sources and identifying new water source alternatives.

It also explored utilising advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence and smart buildings.

Another notable highlight was the participation of secondary school students from a number of Sunshine Coast schools, who expressed their aspirations for the Sunshine Coast’s future.

Their focus centred on maintaining the region’s livability, preserving the natural environment, and prioritising safety and security, as well as a special mention regarding a full medical degree program being introduced at the University of the Sunshine Coast and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

The next step is for participants in the initial roundtable discussion, held in March, to reconvene to identify the themes and infrastructure ideas to contribute to the forthcoming infrastructure plan for the Sunshine Coast.

This collaborative effort will help drive a comprehensive and inclusive vision of the infrastructure solutions that advance the future interests of the Sunshine Coast.