“Ex-Australian PM Cautionary of Indigenous Voice” (6 words) Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott warns against establishing a separate Indigenous advisory body for Parliament because of its potential to undermine national unity. (20 words)

Scott Morrison, former Australian Prime Minister, has spoken out against embedding the Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the country’s Constitution, arguing that sporting codes, unions, or businesses have no authority to advocate for it. The Federal MPs are discussing the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) Bill 2023, which proposes a referendum to include The Voice in the country’s founding legal document. The proposal aims to establish a near-permanent advisory body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to address chronic problems in their communities, but Morrison expressed his reservations about this, stating that it could cause confusion among the different branches of government. Additionally, Morrison argued that The Voice would give Indigenous people “different rights” than other Australians based solely on their race. The former prime minister also insisted that embedding The Voice into the Constitution is not necessary, as the government cannot remove the body if it outlives its purpose, citing the abolition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in 2005. Meanwhile, the Labor MPs continued to advocate for The Voice, citing the toxic history of terra nullius in Australia.