If the Voice isn't the solution, as Peter Dutton argues, what is? How will Australia tackle Indigenous disadvantage if the majority vote No? Given the polls all suggest a No vote is the most likely outcome, the answer is surprisingly unclear, writes David Speers.
One of the first orders of business of the Voice would be to request a full audit on spending so they have a baseline and better understanding of where the money is going so they can identify ineffective programs and redirect it to where it needs to go.
Audits are already done regularity anyway 20 or so while Dutton was in Government.
The problem with audits is they are done to show you are complying with the management intent.
If the intent is misdirected and ineffectual you can still get 100% in an audit because you did what you said you would do and wasted the money exactly correctly.
The Voice is the way to get the money used efficiently and effectively in the first place.
As the Voice referendum campaign grinds towards its final week, there's at least now agreement on one thing: The current system isn't delivering for Indigenous Australians.
Six months ago, when the Liberal party room resolved to support a No vote, Dutton's preferred alternative was to create local and regional Voice bodies in legislation.
This week, Dutton settled on a far simpler solution for tackling the problems of entrenched Indigenous disadvantage: Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
The shadow minister's main idea appears to be a "forensic audit" of money spent on First Nations people to prevent waste.
Beyond holding yet another review, the opposition leader says he will have "announcements to make in relation to other policies" to deal with Indigenous disadvantage, but only after the referendum.
David Speers is National Political Lead and host of Insiders, which airs on ABC TV at 9am on Sunday or on iview.
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