Monarchists criticised for warning of 'almost certain' violence if Indigenous recognition referendum proceeds

Updated

The 2014 Senior Australian of the Year has accused the Monarchists League of peddling prejudice for suggesting that a referendum to recognise Aboriginal people would be accompanied by "almost certain violence".

The group has warned that there is a real prospect of aggression by those who are "hostile" to white settlement, pointing to the recent vandalism of an 18th-century cottage which once belonged to Captain Cook's parents.

"The appalling desecration of Captain Cook's cottage in Melbourne by anti-Australia Day vandals will cause many people to resile from the very thought of a referendum and the now almost certain violence that will accompany it," Australian Monarchists League's national chairman Philip Benwell said.

Police were called to the cottage on Friday after it had been graffitied with the words: "26th Jan Australia's Shame!!!".

Mr Benwell says the 2012 Australia Day riot in Canberra, which resulted in then-prime minister Julia Gillard being evacuated from a function, adds to his concern about having a national debate.

"This is a matter of concern to us, that anyone who may express doubts about the proposals may face the sort of vandalism or violence that has accompanied anti-Australia Day protests."

His comments have drawn a swift response from Senior Australian of the Year Fred Chaney, who was co-founder of Reconciliation Australia.

"To try to stoke the fires of dissent and prejudice on this is a very sad thing to do, and I would encourage all Australians to discuss this in the sort of terms that (Australian of the Year) Adam Goodes discusses it," Mr Chaney told ABC News.

"The 1967 referendum was an unprecedented coming together of Australians in unity to at least right some of the wrongs of the past.

"I think that the current steps towards recognition are aimed at this being a time of national unity, and the idea that it would be a basis for violence is ... a complete bit of nonsense."

Mr Benwell says the Australian Monarchists League is not opposed to reconciliation, but it will not support any change that would be "detrimental" to the constitution.

"Certainly the white settlement was not without its problems, but had the British not colonised this country and brought with them the concept of law and order, Australia would not be the great and united nation it is today."

The former Labor government promised to hold a referendum to recognise Aboriginal people in the constitution but decided to delay a vote, citing the need to build more public support for the change.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has described the constitutional change as an important national crusade and has promised to put forward a draft amendment by September.

Topics: constitution, government-and-politics, federal-government, indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, referendums, royal-and-imperial-matters, australia

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