Latest news with #WarrenMundine
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
New files reveal how Dan Andrews allocated $6.5million in taxpayer dollars to boost the Voice as support plummeted across the country
Dan Andrews' Labor government invested millions in the Yes campaign at the eleventh hour of the failed Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. In September 2023, three weeks before Australians' cast their vote, funds budgeted to support Victoria's pathway to Indigenous Treaty were reassigned. Briefing files, revealed by the Herald Sun on Wednesday, found the state government approved the reallocation of $6.5million to boost the 'Yes' campaign - as part of a movement from governments in all Australian states and territories. In February 2023, each committed to the National Cabinet's Statement of Intent, supporting a national, constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament. Former Victorian assistant treasurer Danny Pearson approved the 'reprioritisation' of funds which was signed off by then-minister for treaty and First Peoples of Australia, Gabrielle Williams, on September 25. In the fortnight leading up to the referendum on October 14, support for the Voice plummeted to 34 per cent, reaching its lowest ebb. But the funding was not used and was re-allocated back to the Treaty process. 'The Victorian Government did not spend any money on the Commonwealth Voice referendum,' a state government spokesperson said. In that crucial period, a Newspoll conducted by The Australian found the 'No' vote outnumbered the 'Yes' case in every demographic category. Warren Mundine, who strongly advocated for the No campaign, told the Herald Sun the approval of the funding was a 'disgrace'. 'It was quite definite that the Voice was going to be thrown away,' he said. 'The Victorian government are happy to just leak money.' The First Peoples Assembly of Victoria declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. The revelation comes as discussion of The Voice was reinvigorated this year. Foreign Minister Penny Wong claimed in April, during her first podcast interview, that there will one day be a Voice. 'I think we'll look back on it in 10 years' time and it'll be a bit like marriage equality,' Senator Wong told the Betoota Talks podcast. 'I always used to say, marriage equality, which took us such a bloody fight to get that done, and I thought, all this fuss. 'It'll become something, it'll be like, people go "did we even have an argument about that?"' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has repeatedly dismissed the notion of holding another referendum.
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Warren Mundine calls on Labor to abandon 'nonsense' approach to Indigenous issues, focus on 'great things' rather than highlighting gap in outcomes
Warren Mundine has called on Labor to abandon its "nonsense" approach to Indigenous issues. Following the defeat of the Voice referendum in 2023, the Albanese government has received criticism for a lack of action on improving the lives of Indigenous Australians. A lack of progress in hitting health, education and other socioeconomic targets in the Closing the Gap report led to further scrutiny, as well as calls from some in the community for a return to basics approach. Despite this, Labor has maintained it remains committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, adding it was focused on turning outcomes around. Speaking to Sky News Australia, though, Mr Mundine argued the government's approach would continue to fail so long as they kept seeking ways to implement the Uluru Statement instead of focusing on fundamental needs. "The No vote (against the Voice) was almost twice the size of what the Albanese government got in this election, so let's get back to the reality," he said. "The reality is none of these things will ever fix anything or the problems within Aboriginal and the rest of Australia. "We have to come up with some serious stuff and there is some great stuff that is happening out there. "Let us talk about them, let us work on those, instead of just talking about all this nonsense all the time which has been so strongly rejected, not only by the wider Australian community, but by Aboriginal people." Mr Mundine is not alone in calling for greater focus on the "great stuff" occurring in some Indigenous communities. New shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, Kerrynne Liddle, has been outspoken on the need to change perceptions about First Nations peoples. "It is disingenuous to suggest that every Aboriginal person is impoverished because that is not true. There are many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working well and effectively in organisations," she told The Australian last week. Mr Mundine echoed that view, citing the Indigenous Business and Economic Program as he argued Labor needed to shift its focus to promoting the success of Indigenous communities. "I sat at a conference once and it talked about health problems in Aboriginals, it talked about crime in Aboriginals, it talked about unemployment in Aboriginals," he said. "I'm a very positive person. By the end of that conference, I sat there and said: 'God, I must be one of the most miserable people on the planet'. "We're not recognising the incredible success of what's happening. You look at the Indigenous Business and Economic Program. It's gone from a 6.7 million program to 8.2 billion, 40,000 jobs for, not only for Aboriginal people, 25,000 for Aboriginal people, but 20,000 other people in Australia who are working for Aboriginal businesses." Mr Mundine added the government could only change outcomes by injecting "positivity" into the conversation around Indigenous issues, warning: "If we keep talking about negative stuff, then we'll always end up with negative stuff".
Sky News AU
6 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Former Labor senator speaks on the failure to recognise sovereign rights of Indigenous peoples
Centre for Independent Studies' Warren Mundine has commented on Indigenous leader Pat Dodson calling for a greater reconciliation towards First Nations people. Mr Dodson discussed closing the gap for Indigenous people. 'We have sovereignty already, we're citizens of this country,' Mr Mundine told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio. 'In fact, we have benefits from the sovereign rights of this country.'
Sky News AU
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘Don't think it's appropriate': Andrew Hastie and Warren Mundine call out Welcome to Country inclusions at Anzac Day services
Senior Liberal Party figures, including shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie and prominent Indigenous affairs advocate Warren Mundine, have called out the inclusion of Welcome to Country rituals at Anzac Day services, labelling them 'divisive'. During Monday's final leaders' debate Opposition Leader Peter Dutton declared Welcome to Country rituals had become 'overdone' and committed to reducing their prevalence following booing of the ceremony at an Anzac Day dawn service in Melbourne. The shadow minister for defence and former SASR troop commander Andrew Hastie reiterated that although Welcome to Country ceremonies serve as an integral component to key national events, they should not be incorporated into Anzac related services. 'Well, I think Welcome to Country is now part of what we do as a country, but I don't think it should be done on Anzac Day' he told Sky News Australia. 'Do I think it's appropriate that families of the fallen, veterans and regular Australians should be welcomed to their country on the very day they come together to remember those who've died for their country? No, I don't think it's appropriate'. Mr Hastie served in Afghanistan as a former cavalry troop leader and in 2010 was selected to serve with the special air service regiment (SASR) as a troop commander. He also served again in Afghanistan, in 2013, with the Special Operations Task Group. The shadow minister questioned why veterans should be 'welcomed to their country on that very day' and echoed Mr Dutton's declaration the ceremony had become 'overdone'. 'I think it also can be very divisive at times as well, because ultimately we're all Australians' Mr Hastie said. 'It doesn't matter if you're of Indigenous heritage, whether you're a seventh generation Australian, or you've taken citizenship in the last week, we're all Australians, we're equal before the law.' Meanwhile, former national president of the ALP and advisor to three Liberal prime ministers, Warren Mundine, labelled the ongoing saga a 'bizarre situation' and emphasised Anzac Day is 'not about a day of talking about Welcome to Country'. Speaking to Sky News Australia's Andrew Bolt, Mr Mundine condemned the yelling at the Melbourne dawn service and said he agreed 'with Dutton and Albanese in the sense that there shouldn't have been any booing' yet added there 'shouldn't have been a Welcome to Country as well'. 'It should have been that focus about what brings us together and what brings us together are those service people' he said. When asked if Welcome to Country ceremonies should be scaled back at other major events Mr Mundine said the ritual was a 'nice idea', but stated that the practice had 'got to the stage where it's overdone'. 'I was Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Dubbo and I had citizenship programs and after the formal finishing of that, I said: 'Look, as an Aboriginal Australian, I welcome you to Australia, and I'm proud that you have chosen to become citizens of this country',' he said. 'You get it at board meetings, you get it at committee meetings. It is dividing us. Something that was nice and had a place has now turned into a thing of division, and also, it's been hijacked.' During the leaders' debate on Sunday night, hosted by Channel 7, both Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton were asked whether they would continue to feature the ceremony at official events. Mr Dutton, who has previously declared that he would not stand in front of the Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander flags as Prime Minister, argued the practice had become overdone. 'Our most sacred day of the year (is) Anzac Day, and a time to respect diggers and not a time for booing any part of the ceremony,' he said. 'For the opening of Parliament, fair enough, it is respectful to do. But for the start of every meeting at work, or the start of a football game, Australians think it is overdone.'
