Proponents of the ‘no’ and ‘yes’ campaigns have spoken at the National Press Club on enshrining an Indigenous voice to parliament in the constitution.

“It is not inequality to recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were the owners of Australia since time immemorial, it is simply the truth.” – lawyer and activist Noel Pearson 

“(The Uluru Statement from the Heart) says Indigenous Australians are trapped in victimhood and oppression, not free or able to make their own decisions … this is a lie.” – former Liberal politician Warren Mundine

“We asked for recognition through a voice combining the symbolic and practical to give us both dignity and a sense of empowerment and responsibility in matters that affect us.” – activist and academic Marcia Langton

“The voice is flawed in its foundations. It is built on lies and an aggressive attempt to fracture our nation’s founding document and divide the country built upon it.” – Opposition spokeswoman for Indigenous Australians Jacinta Nampijinpa Price

“We’re not going to get consensus with the voice, ever … we have to go back to how we make decisions as clans and nations and then we can tell the colonisers what the terms are, not the other way around.” – independent senator and leader of the Blak Sovereign Movement Lidia Thorpe

“From day one the voice will have a full in-tray … The voice will be tasked with taking the long view.” – Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney.

By Kat Wong in Canberra

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