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A Federal Coalition senator has attacked his Government's own Referendum Council, saying it has squandered taxpayers' money on a "$3,000-a-page" discussion paper and a lacklustre website.
The council is tasked with devising a question to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution and give advice about the timing of a vote.
But it was yesterday revealed the Referendum Council's online presence is costing upwards of $1.5 million.
Last night the council had a website, a Facebook page with 240 likes, and a Twitter account followed by 359 people.
"People can go and see it for themselves and make their own judgement," West Australian senator Dean Smith told ABC News.
"I don't think it cuts the mustard, to be frank."
A Senate estimates committee was also told a 20-page community discussion paper — containing details of the constitution, recognition and proposals for change — cost $30,000.
"On my assessment, that's almost $3,300 per substantial page of that discussion paper," Senator Smith said.
Eight internal meetings have cost about $525,000, including flights and accommodation.
Sixteen forums with Indigenous people and organisations across Australia, culminating in a convention at Uluru, will cost $5.7 million.
One meeting in Broome was attended by 34 people and cost $160,000.
"These are significant costs," Senator Smith said.
"The danger now is that the advocates of constitutional recognition are great risk of having undermined their own process.
"Any costs associated with the Referendum Council need to be more transparent, they need to be put up to public scrutiny."
The Referendum Council is overseen by the Prime Minister's department and its budget over two financial years is $9.5 million.
Treaty talk 'should be stopped in its tracks': Senator
Senator Smith is a constitutional conservative and a "sceptic when it comes to recognition".
He said the Referendum Council process — along with $30 million in public funding to the Recognise campaign — had driven the process backwards.
"What we now have is forums and discussion groups talking about treaties, which are totally non-negotiable," he said.
"Australia will not embrace a treaty proposition as part of constitutional reform and that should be stopped in its tracks immediately.
"The threshold is very very high in order to have constitutional referendum proposals passed in Australia."
The Referendum Council was contacted for comment.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, constitution, indigenous-policy, indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, australia