VICTORIAN Opposition Leader John Pesutto is distancing himself from an outspoken Liberal MP for making comments that are “hurtful” to Indigenous Australians.<\/p>\n
Western Victoria upper house MP Bev McArthur, an opponent of the voice to federal parliament, issued a statement last week denouncing Geelong council’s decision to cancel Australia Day citizenship ceremonies.<\/p>\n
In the release, she questioned if a councillor who supported the decision also reflected on the “wonderful things that have been enabled via colonisation by a democratic country”.<\/p>\n
“Firstly – democracy itself. The arrival of communists instead of the First Fleet would no doubt have created a different outcome,” she wrote.<\/p>\n
“Should we also say sorry for hospitals, roads, mobile phones, ready food at supermarkets, homes, running water, electricity for light and warmth, Indigenous-only medical centres, aged care and court processes?<\/p>\n
“There is one word that is rarely heard in this discussion and it is a simple word. Thank you.”<\/p>\n
Ms McArthur noted her piece mentioned wrongs committed against the Aboriginal population and disputed she implied Indigenous Australians should say “thank you” for colonisation.<\/p>\n
“That is absolute nonsense,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
But the comments drew the ire of First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria co-chair Marcus Stewart, who accused Ms McArthur of trying to make a name for herself by saying something offensive at the expense of Aboriginal people.<\/p>\n
“Should Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people be saying thanks for the invasion of our lands and massacre of our people?” he asked.<\/p>\n
“The reality is that more and more people across this country are learning the truth and understand that the harms of colonisation are still experienced by our people today.”<\/p>\n
Mr Pesutto agreed her remarks were hurtful to Indigenous Australians as national debate ramps up ahead of the voice to parliament referendum.<\/p>\n
The state Liberal leader confirmed he plans to speak with her about the remarks, but declined to say if she would be warned or face any punishment.<\/p>\n
“It’s incumbent on every Victorian to engage in debates about Indigenous Australians and the great contribution our First Nations people have made to our country in a very respectful way,” he told reporters.<\/p>\n
“There are ways to conduct this debate without causing hurt or offence.”<\/p>\n
The Victorian Liberals have opted against adopting a formal position on the voice after giving MPs a non-binding vote.<\/p>\n
It means they can actively campaign for either the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ campaigns, in contrast to the Federal Liberal parliamentary party.<\/p>\n
Tuesday marked the first parliamentary sitting since Mr Pesutto was heckled and booed at a Liberal state council conference in Bendigo over the Moira Deeming expulsion saga, prompting leadership challenge speculation.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, Ms McArthur voted against the motion to expel Ms Deeming for bringing discredit to the party after the first-term upper house MP threatened defamation action against Mr Pesutto.<\/p>\n