Some social media users have been taken in by a video that appears to show Anthony Albanese saying a successful ‘yes’ vote in the Indigenous voice referendum will result in the United Nations (UN) taking control of all land in Australia.
This is false. The video has been deceptively edited with a longer version of the video clearly showing the prime minister mentioning UN land grabs only as an example of the “absurd” conspiracy theories about the voice spreading on social media.
In the edited version, Mr Albanese says: “The United Nations will control all land in Australia. All land. You will lose private ownership of everyone’s home, will go with a ‘yes’ vote.”
But the longer video and a transcript of the interview in question reveal that the prime minister was saying the exact opposite of what was suggested by the clip.
The prime minister made the comments during a doorstop interview in Hobart on October 3.
“Well, there has been a lot of disinformation out there,” the prime minister said.
“…The idea that the voice will have a say on the Reserve Bank determination of interest rates is quite frankly absurd. Just absurd. And they know that that this the case.
“But there is worse information in some social media as well about the world conspiracies that the United Nations will control all land in Australia. All land. Private ownership of everyone’s home will go with a yes vote. It’s just absurd.”
Among those who shared the shortened video clip was Steve Dickson, a former Queensland Liberal National government minister and later a One Nation state MP.
Mr Dickson posted the clip to Facebook (screenshot here) on the same day as the interview in question.
“Did he really say that? Just had this sent to me. Very controversial,” he wrote in the caption.
Several people commented on Mr Dickson’s post to raise doubts about the authenticity of the clip.
However, the former politician doubled down, writing in response that: “It looks real to me… He must of (sic) said those words.”
AAP FactCheck has previously debunked numerous conspiracy theories about the impact of the voice on land rights, including false claims that all private land would be converted to native title, that a voice advisory body would have the power to seize property, that Indigenous Australians would lose their right to land and that Indigenous people would lose the right to be consulted about land developments.
The Verdict
The claim that a video shows Anthony Albanese saying the UN would take control of Australian land in the event of a ‘yes’ vote in the voice referendum is false.
The clip has been edited from an interview in which the prime minister talked about voice conspiracy theories.
Mr Albanese mentioned the idea of the UN taking control of Australia, but only as an example of the “absurd” referendum conspiracies being spread on social media.
False – The claim is inaccurate.
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