Michael Sukkar MP

Interview with Rita Panahi – Sky News Credlin

THE HON MICHAEL SUKKAR MP – SHADOW MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, NDIS, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEW WITH RITA PANAHI – (HOSTING CREDLIN) SKY NEWS

Thursday, 7 September 2023

TOPICS: Voice to Parliament

E&OE

Rita Panahi: Joining me to discuss this and more is Shadow Minister for Social Services, the NDIS, Housing and Homelessness. Michael Sukkar. Michael, welcome to the program. It really is a David and Goliath battle in many ways, but somehow David is winning at the moment.

Michael Sukkar: Well, look, it’s certainly a top end of town versus everyday Australians battle as you quite rightly say, every single large corporate and institution is supporting this. Many of those large corporates are using money. Their shareholder’s money to put towards the Yes campaign and it’s been reported that it has a war chest of $100 million to bombard Australians with advertising and other messages over the coming weeks. And it’s for that reason that we should on one hand take heart that in the end it’ll be everyday Australians who get to have their voice and everyday Australians who will have an opportunity to stand up against really that campaign from the top end of town, but also to remind ourselves that there’s no point winning polls. You’ve got to win the referendum and polls can say whatever they say between now and referendum day, it’s actually getting out and voting on the day that will ensure that the voice of those millions of Australians are heard and are louder than the top end of town. But it really my message is, Rita, it’s not won yet for the No campaign, people have to keep working hard, keep speaking to their family and most importantly, ensure that they get out and vote because they’re trying to tip the scales against the no vote here. Whether it’s the AEC accepting ticks as supporting votes of the Yes campaign, but not accepting crosses for the No campaign as I said, whether it’s the $100 million that’s being funded for the Yes campaign

Rita Panahi: On that 100 million and the disparity there with the funding is it true the No campaign is limited in the ads it can purchase in Victoria, NSW, given the cost barrier, are you focusing your efforts – are the no camp focusing their efforts on those smaller states like Tasmania and South Australia?

Michael Sukkar: Look, there’s no doubt that the No campaign has had to be a lot smarter in how they spend their considerably smaller resources. The No campaigns run a phenomenal campaign thus far, particularly with their message. But you’re right, focusing those resources on those states, whether it’s Tasmania or South Australia or Western Australia or Queensland, where you get a bit more bang for your advertising buck, that’s certainly been the hallmark of the No campaign, unlike the Yes campaign who, as I said, have tens and tens of millions of dollars to just spray all over the country. No’s have to be much more disciplined and they’ve shown a lot of discipline to date. But, boy, that avalanche of money is going to come. And for that reason, those of us who believe that we need to ensure that we don’t insert race into our Constitution, that we don’t create a new form of racial separatism in this country, that we do everything we can between now and referendum day, and importantly, get out and vote and make sure that our friends and family vote as well.

Rita Panahi: Now, Michael, Victoria’s Indigenous truth telling Commission has recommended that the states police Commissioner have an understanding of the role Victoria Police played in the dispossession and murder and assimilation of first peoples. That’s a quote there. It’s called for detention for children under 16 to be abolished and the police to take into account an Aboriginal person’s unique background and systemic factors when making decision on cautioning or diversion on. Now there has been a lot of backlash to this. Warren Mundine has been among those who has been critical. You’re a Victorian. Tell us what’s happening in this state. How can this sort of thing be recommended and this commission has the powers of a royal commission,

Michael Sukkar: Well, the very radical Victorian Labor government. I think is putting in place through a range of processes what really the voice is seeking to do nationally, and that is to create that sense of separatism, where one group of people are treated differently based on nothing other than the heritage, the blood running through their veins. And I can say as a someone from a migrant family, Rita, to Australia, that we have to ensure that every single Australian is equal before the law regardless of their ethnicity or heritage. And I think for most Australians they grew up in an era where it was drummed into us quite rightly, that you did not judge somebody on their ethnic origin, you judge them on their character – and the voice, just like what we’re seeing in Victoria, I suspect in the end will definitely push for these kinds of arrangements where we treat one group of Australians differently than the other. The truth is from a policing perspective and I speak as a father, as a husband, I want to live in a safe community. I want to live in a safe country that means where you’ve got bad people doing violent things, that they get treated appropriately by the police . And quite frankly, if there are people doing bad things, irrespective of their ethnicity, they must be dealt with appropriately. And we’ve got to be blind to those sorts of ethnic backgrounds and just treat people equally before the law. That is a bedrock of this country. And again, the Labor Canberra voice is seeking to insert this form of separatism into to the nation’s rulebook. Our constitution. And that’s another reason why I’ll be voting no, because we do not want to be treating Australians differently based on race.

Rita Panahi: Absolutely. I agree with you there 100% we do not want to have any sort of racial privilege enshrined and into the Constitution. Our nation is founding document. Michael Sukkar, thank you so much for your time this evening.

Michael Sukkar: Thanks again, Rita.

Ends