Indigenous Greens senator clarifies threat to pull Voice support over controversial WA project

Dorinda Cox, the Greens Indigenous Australians spokesperson, initially warned she would “seriously consider” support for the Voice but now maintains she is prepared to fully back it.

Greens Indigenous Australians spokesperson Dorinda Cox has clarified her position on the Voice. Source: AAP

KEY POINTS:

• Greens Indigenous Australians spokesperson Dorinda Cox said may reconsider her support for the Voice.
• She later clarified her threat, saying she would campaign for a "yes" vote at the Voice to Parliament referendum.
• Senator Cox is demanding Labor scrap a controversial fertiliser plant in WA.

Greens Indigenous Australians spokesperson Dorinda Cox has withdrawn an initial warning she could “seriously consider” her support for the Voice unless Prime Minister Anthony Albanese scraps a controversial project near ancient Aboriginal artwork.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek ruled last year that millions of sacred rock engravings in the WA Pilbara region could be safely moved, paving the way for Perth-based chemicals company Perdaman to build a $4.3 billion fertiliser plant at the site.

Speaking to NITV reporter Kearyn Cox on Friday, Senator Cox issued a warning to the Mr Albanese.

“I have a very clear message for the Prime Minister of Australia, that he has to intervene is this now,” she said.

Senator Cox was asked: “Are you saying that if Albanese doesn’t step up, that you’re potentially not going to support the Voice?”.

She replied: “Look, I would have to seriously consider my support for the Voice."

WA Greens Senator Dorinda Cox replaced Lidia Thorpe (left) in February. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

If she had taken that path, Senator Cox would have become the second Greens Indigenous Australians spokesperson at odds with her own party over the referendum in just three months, after Voice-sceptic Lidia Thorpe defected to the crossbench to "speak freely" on Indigenous issues in February.

But Senator Cox this afternoon released a statement to clarify her position.

"I support the full implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which means Truth, Treaty and Voice. I am going to campaign for Yes,” she said.

“I also support strengthening our cultural heritage legislation.”

Senator Cox, a member of a parliamentary inquiry examining the constitutional alteration, said she would focus her energy on “holding the government accountable”.

“My point is I absolutely support the Voice, but ultimately governments have to listen. There’s also listening we can do now, and I call on Albanese to do that listening and protect sacred sites."

Senator Cox has labelled plans to move the rocks as a "genocide" against Indigenous culture.

"If we want a Voice to Parliament, we have to make sure that we're going to follow this through. This may be against their own principles, what the Labor Party stands for, and who they're in bed with it right now," she said.

"We need to understand that we're going to have to stand up for First Nations people in this country, not just for a Voice to Parliament, but against industry, against the destruction ... We cannot continue to let industry be the tail that wags the dog."

Senator Cox wants Anthony Albanese to scrap the deal. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

Senator Cox cited mining giant Rio Tinto's 2020 destruction of the Juukan Gorge in Western Australia to question the need for a Voice, saying: "We are not even listening to the voices of Aboriginal people in our communities".

"What is the point in having constitutional recognition, as we the First Nations of this country continue to fight, scream the loudest, and express our distress [at] someone coming in and committing Juukan 2.0 in Murujaga country by removing those rocks," she asked.

"What is the point? You might as well stop this process tomorrow."

Dorinda Cox blasts Woodside's comments as 'absolutely disgraceful'

Woodside chief executive Meg O'Neill on Wednesday accepted the company had moved culturally-significant rock art in WA's Pilbara region during the 1980s.

Ms O'Neill conceded the process was "not something we would repeat", but claimed the removals were carried out in a "culturally sensitive way at the time".

The company has also revealed its support for a Voice to Parliament.

Senator Cox described the comments as "absolutely disgraceful", saying mining companies "do not hold social licence in our communities", and she called on Reconciliation Australian to revoke Woodside’s entitlement to have a Reconciliation Action Plan.

"[They] continue to cause this destruction in the name of economic development ... in the name of money and corporate profit that they are making," she said.

"[They are] not paying the rent, and not respecting our country."

Senator Cox assumed the role in February, when predecessor Lidia Thorpe, who has expressed scepticism over the constitutional change, quit the party partially to "speak freely" on Indigenous issues.

Hours later, Greens leader Adam Bandt announced the minor party would back the Yes campaign.

SBS News has contacted Greens leader Adam Bandt for comment.