Senior Australian of the year Tom Calma ‘disappointed’ Lidia Thorpe may oppose voice

Co-chair of Indigenous voice to parliament co-design group says proposed body is first step' to First Nations contributions to policymaking

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The newly minted senior Australian of the year and co-chair of the Indigenous voice co-design group, Tom Calma, says he feels a bit offended" by Greens senator Lidia Thorpe's decision to telegraph opposition to the advisory body.

Calma told the ABC on Thursday establishing the voice to parliament was a critical step in maintaining progress on a range of fronts, so he was disappointed" Thorpe had signalled that she would oppose the reform unless Labor provided guarantees" that First Nations sovereignty would not be not ceded.

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