Sunrise host Natalie Barr’s tough message to Anthony Albanese’s government about The Voice campaign: ‘Failing so badly’

Natalie Barr has declared ‘something’s going wrong’ when it comes to campaigning for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament with current polling suggesting more Australians are planning to vote No.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and shadow veteran affairs minister Barnaby Joyce were caught in a fiery exchange about their opinions on the Voice on Sunrise on Monday morning.

Barr noted that based on the latest figures from a recent Newspoll, less than 50 per cent of residents in every state are planning to vote Yes.

Joyce argued Australians wanted to see the legislation of the Voice before they had to make a vote, rather than after a referendum had been called.

‘That’s what people are saying they want to see it before they vote on it,’ Barr said.

‘The Newspoll could be wrong but in a state like Victoria it’s tied, the voting is tied, in a Labor state like Victoria so there’s something going wrong isn’t there?’

The Sunrise host had earlier asked Ms Plibersek if she was ‘concerned’ with support for the Voice slipping.

The Yes vote sits at 43 per cent nationally, while the No vote is at 56 per cent, according to a recent Newspoll.

Ms Plibersek said she was ‘absolutely determined’ to combat the ‘scare campaign’ being pushed by the Opposition to get support for the advisory body higher.

Natalie Barr has declared ‘something’s going wrong’ when it comes to campaigning for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament with current polling suggesting more Australians are planning to vote No

‘This is about two really simple things, it’s about changing our Constitution to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been here a long time and it’s also about setting up a committee that would give advice to the Parliament,’ she said.

‘We know we’ve got gaps in life expectancy, health outcomes and education. 

‘What the No campaign are saying is that we should just keep doing what we’re doing, it should just be more of the same and of course I don’t agree with that.’

Barr then asked Mr Joyce why he thought the Yes campaign was ‘failing so badly’, to which he said it was because it was a ‘matter of race’.

‘It differentiates Australia on race which I think is an anathema in 2023,’ he said.

‘No one has described to us, they say it’s going to make certain issues like health and education better, but they haven’t described exactly how it’s going to do that.

‘Why can’t we do that now? Why do we need it to go to the Constitution. It’s overreach.’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, which discusses a treaty and financial settlement.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is seen speaking with Yolngu Elder Mr. Djawa Yunupingu at the Garma Festival last week

The statement discussed ‘reparations for past criminal acts and compensation for present and future criminal acts’.

‘Is that the case? Because when you create a void it is filled by information, that’s what the Opposition is doing in this case. They’re saying ”we don’t have the information”, and they’re the ones filling it and they’re the ones winning,’ Barr asked Ms Plibersek.

‘Will there be a financial settlement as part of a percentage of GDP, that’s actually talked about isn’t it? And a treaty.’

Ms Plibersek dodged the question and said the only thing that needed to be determined was whether Australia should change its Constitution to recognise Indigenous Australians.

‘We’re going to keep campaigning,’ she said.