Dan and Stu both work in the local Service NSW office where people come to arrange driving licences, birth certificates, and car registration renewals. Both of them are reasonably well liked by their colleagues. But while Dan is often outspoken on a range of ethical and political issues, Stu is better known for his cynicism and caustic wit. Most recently, Dan has been highly vocal in the office as a supporter of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Its about time that Australia faced up to its history of dispossession, racist oppression and marginalisation of First Nations people, Dan says at the weekly all-of-staff meeting. Whats more, he declares, This office has vital work to do on these issues. The level of disadvantage suffered by many Indigenous Australians has been exacerbated through having never been given a birth certificate, and thats something that we can help to address. Our workplace is so crucial for such matters, and it behooves us to promote the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Wow! exclaims Trudy, who has plenty of respect for both Dan and Stu, That was a pretty powerful speech. Although were all public servants here so arent we supposed to be kind of above politics? Are we really allowed to use this office to promote the Voice to Parliament? What do you think, Stu? Im not sure what were allowed to do, replies Stu, But the kind of political activism that Dans talking about is just for useless busybodies who want to make themselves feel important. The Voice to Parliament is nothing more than a self-interested effort by Indigenous elites to create tax-payer funded perks and sinecures for themselves. Itll be worse than ATSIC. Not only will it be a pointless and divisive race-based political bureaucracy, itll be imbedded in the nations constitution. Like ATSIC, itll comprehensively prove itself to be a complete failure, but this time itll be extremely difficult to abolish. Not surprisingly, Dan is apoplectic at such dismissive talk: That is so offensive Stu! I think you ought to check your white privilege, along with your racism. I cant believe how cynical and apathetic you are. The Indigenous Voice to Parliament will finally recognise the unique and vital place of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution. The very least that we should do is put up some posters around the office to show our support for it. What do you think, Alison? Alison, the Centre Manager, desperately wants to do the right thing. The problem is that she doesn't know how to respond to Dans idea, and so she arranges a meeting with the CEO of Service NSW. Now suppose that the CEO of Service NSW is you. What would you advise Alison to do?.

1. Dan and Stu both work in the local Service NSW office where people come to arrange driving
licences, birth certificates, and car registration renewals. Both of them are reasonably well liked by
their colleagues. But while Dan is often outspoken on a range of ethical and political issues, Stu is
better known for his cynicism and caustic wit. Most recently, Dan has been highly vocal in the
office as a supporter of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament:
Its about time that Australia faced up to its history of dispossession, racist oppression and
marginalisation of First Nations people, Dan says at the weekly all-of-staff meeting. Whats more,
he declares, This office has vital work to do on these issues. The level of disadvantage suffered by
many Indigenous Australians has been exacerbated through having never been given a birth
certificate, and thats something that we can help to address. Our workplace is so crucial for such
matters, and it behooves us to promote the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Wow! exclaims Trudy, who has plenty of respect for both Dan and Stu, That was a pretty powerful
speech. Although were all public servants here so arent we supposed to be kind of above politics?
Are we really allowed to use this office to promote the Voice to Parliament? What do you think,
Stu?
Im not sure what were allowed to do, replies Stu, But the kind of political activism that Dans talking
about is just for useless busybodies who want to make themselves feel important. The Voice to
Parliament is nothing more than a self-interested effort by Indigenous elites to create tax-payer
funded perks and sinecures for themselves. Itll be worse than ATSIC. Not only will it be a pointless
and divisive race-based political bureaucracy, itll be imbedded in the nations constitution. Like
ATSIC, itll comprehensively prove itself to be a complete failure, but this time itll be extremely
difficult to abolish.
Not surprisingly, Dan is apoplectic at such dismissive talk: That is so offensive Stu! I think you
ought to check your white privilege, along with your racism. I cant believe how cynical and
apathetic you are. The Indigenous Voice to Parliament will finally recognise the unique and vital
place of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution. The very least that we should do is put up
some posters around the office to show our support for it. What do you think, Alison?
Alison, the Centre Manager, desperately wants to do the right thing. The problem is that she
doesn't know how to respond to Dans idea, and so she arranges a meeting with the CEO of
Service NSW. Now suppose that the CEO of Service NSW is you. What would you advise Alison
to do?