Interview with Lisa Millar on ABC News Breakfast

Lisa Millar

New South Wales senator Andrew Bragg strongly believes that the Voice is the country's best shot at advancing reconciliation efforts. He joins us now from Parliament House in Canberra. Senator good morning, welcome to News Breakfast.

Senator Andrew Bragg

G'day Lisa.

Lisa Millar

How many of your colleagues do you think feel the same way as you within the Liberal Party?

Senator Andrew Bragg

I think there are mixed views on the question of the Voice, but the reality is that if the referendum is going to be successful this year, a large portion of Liberal and National voters will be required to vote 'yes'. The referendum will be lost unless a large group of those people are happy to support it.

Lisa Millar

And why do you think or why are you trying to now publicly lobby your own colleagues to get them to throw their weight behind it?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I understand that this is a vote of the public, not of the politicians, and I think there is a lot of misinformation out there which needs to be combated. I mean, there are many red herrings in this debate and that's why I thought it was important to set the record straight on a few of the historical and contemporaneous facts.

Lisa Millar

You say that it's a vote of the people. Yes, granted, but referendums don't pass if you don't have everyone on board there where you are at Parliament House. So would you like to see your party come forward soon with a positive approach to the 'yes' vote, saying that they will back it?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, historically there have been mixed views inside the Liberal Party on public votes. In the last three of these events, on Same-Sex Marriage, the Republic and even the aborted referendum on Local Government, the Liberal Party has had 'yes' and 'no' campaigns now in relation to the Same-Sex Marriage postal survey that was won with a large group of Liberal supporters in Parliament, but also a large group of Liberal Party voters voting 'yes'. So I think it is important that we recognise that it's an important voting bloc, and I am very keen to see as many people vote 'yes' as possible. But obviously there are some issues that need to be worked through in the immediate term which I've flagged in my paper.

Lisa Millar

Would you like to see a conscience vote allowed within your party?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I don't think anyone seriously contemplating blocking the legislation to enable the referendum. I don't think anyone would want to block the people having their say. Even if people are 'no' voters, I think they still want people to have their say.

Lisa Millar

The 'yes' and 'no' pamphlet being able to both of those sides being mailed out to people in Australia. What's your worry about misinformation in that regard?

Senator Andrew Bragg

I'm not worried about that.

Lisa Millar

You're not worried? So you think that these pamphlets, that the information that people are going to be getting will be the correct information and people will go into this referendum vote adequately prepared?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Well, I think the major issue with misinformation is people are making statements which are not true. I mean, the idea that this would be the introduction of race into the constitutional legal system is fundamentally flawed. The idea that this would be a special deal for certain Australians is another lie. I just think that there is so much misinformation out there and this is a proposal which I believe would really improve things in communities, particularly remote communities, but it would also address some longstanding problems in our system, in Australia.

Lisa Millar

Just on another matter, the climate legislation for the safeguard mechanism, your party, Peter Dutton, says he doesn't believe anyone's going to break ranks in voting against it. Certainly there are moderates within your party who are disappointed that that is the decision that's been made to vote against this. Are you one of those?

Senator Andrew Bragg

Look, I think that there will be a debate inside the Parliament when the Bill hits the various chambers. It's not something that I'm planning to break ranks on, but I look forward to engaging in the usual way in the Senate.

Lisa Millar

Right, so you wouldn't cross the floor because your colleague Bridget Archer has held open that possibility?

Senator Andrew Bragg

No.

Lisa Millar

Does that mean the climate wars are back on again?

Senator Andrew Bragg

[laughs] I don't know, but it's not something that I'll be doing. As I say, I think right now it's important that we try and get this Voice referendum on the right track. I don't want to see it lost. It would be a disaster for our country if it was lost. And I think the next few months are really critical.

Lisa Millar

All right. Senator Andrew Bragg. Thanks for your time.

[ENDS]