SUNRISE host Nat Barr has unleashed on Australian Opposition leader Peter Dutton live on air.
The TV star interviewed the politician on Monday’s show about the country’s looming referendum to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in its constitution.
SunriseSunrise host Natalie Barr has gone head-to-head with Australian Opposition leader Peter Dutton in a tense TV interview[/caption]
Natalie Barr is a popular Australian television presenter, journalist, and news presenterRex
If successful, the vote will also see an advisory board of First Nations people called the Voice established within the federal government.
Dutton told Nat in a heated live interview that he would spend another $450 million (£230 million) on a new referendum if he is elected prime minister that would recognise First Nations people in the constitution without bringing a Voice to Parliament.
Nat challenged Dutton: “So then how do the lives of Indigenous people change?
“Twenty per cent live in poverty. Nearly a third of the prison population is Indigenous.
“You know, you can stretch on with these awful statistics. How would people’s lives change?
“Because the whole Voice was brought up by a lot of Indigenous Australians. How would that change their lives?”
Dutton responded saying change was “about leadership in local communities” and required more “practical assistance”.
Nat replied: “But, Peter, I know what you mean but we have spent billions and billions over many years and those ideas have come up before.
“You know, you’re not the first and they’re not the first.
“So to change something, don’t we have to really draw a line in the sand and do what most Indigenous people are calling for?”
Dutton said there was “good intention across the nation to do well here”, but he did not believe a Voice would help redirect current investment to reach people “living in squalor”.
He added: “The trouble is that there is an enormous amount – billions of dollars – tipped in at the top of the funnel and the trouble is that the ticket is clipped all the way down until it’s a trickle to get to people in Alice Springs, which is why you see people living in squalor.
“It’s the leadership in communities that makes a difference.”
Viewers have backed Nat in droves and slammed Dutton’s plan and comments.
One user wrote on Twitter: “Wake up Dutton, nothing has changed unless you make the change…”
Another said: “One has to ask why? Clearly Aussies just want equality, it’s as simple as that. What a waste of taxpayers money to hold yet another referendum. No, don’t do it.”
One person said it looked to them like “Nat Barr was thinking WTF is this bloke saying and not understanding.. in fairness I watched it and didn’t understand what he was saying or his point.”
Someone else criticised Dutton’s proposal to hold a second referendum and “flagrantly waste taxpayers’ hard-earned [cash] during a cost-of-living crisis” while another said to “keep up the good work Nat, don’t stop caring and smiling”.
Earlier in the same show, Nat demanded answers from former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce after he said the Opposition had “always supported recognition of Indigenous Australians”.
She asked: “So, Barnaby, if you guys supported this for years and years and years, you had years and years and years, so why didn’t you try to push it through?”
Joyce suggested other people including prime minister from 2015 to 2018 Malcolm Turnbull were better placed to answer such a question, but restated he had “always” supported changing the constitution.
All Australians will have their say in the referendum on October 14 when they vote yes or no on a single question: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”
Dutton said he believes Australia will be unified when people are asked whether they support changing the constitution, but not the Voice, telling Nat on Monday: “We don’t need a second referendum if the prime minister listens to the Australian public and changes the question and just has a simple recognition question put to the Australian people on October 14.”
SunriseNat also spoke with Labor minister Tanya Plibersek and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce on Monday’s show[/caption]
