Essential reading for those who want to understand the background to the Referendum on the Voice to Parliament.
An Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Considering a Constitutional Bridge, Frank Brennan. GARRATT PUBLISHING, ISBN 9781922484659.
Frank Brennan speaks with authority and out of long commitment on the rights of Indigenous Australians. He also speaks with authority about Australian law. These gifts come together in An Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the subject of a Referendum later in the year. In this informative book he provides the long and complex background to the Referendum, stresses the difficulty of having referenda passed and the consequent high level of agreement needed, and presents arguments from supporters and opponents of the Referendum.
He understands that people may both be in favour of demanding an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and yet be opposed to the proposed amendment to the Constitution. The Constitution establishes the principles that govern the making of laws in our nation. It is important to get the detail of the amendment right. For that reason, he insists that the Parliamentary scrutiny of the Bill must be thorough and the debate long and eirenic enough to encourage bipartisan support. The failure to pass the Referendum would confirm the fear of First Nations people that they are regarded as second-class citizens.
This book is concise, clearly written and presents the diversity among both supporters and critics of the Referendum. It will help readers to understand why people differ about it. It is essential reading for those who want to understand the background to the Referendum and want to ensure that it is passed and brings Australians together.