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Escape to the Country host dies aged 50

<p>British TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has passed away aged 50 following a battle with terminal cancer. </p> <p>Irwin was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020, when the disease spread from his lungs to his brain. </p> <p>He was initially given just six months to live, but managed to defy the odds and made his illness public after two years of keeping it a secret. </p> <p>The TV presenter rose to fame in the UK for his roles on shows including <em>A Place in the Sun </em>and <em>Escape to the Country</em>. </p> <p>A statement was shared to Instagram on Friday announcing his death, where he was described as "a truly remarkable soul." </p> <p>"It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie’s passing," the statement began. </p> <p>"A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage. Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit."</p> <p>“At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnie’s family as they navigate through this profound loss," the statement continued. </p> <p>“Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated. As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts.”</p> <p>“Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on. Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C22vrMPCwmB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C22vrMPCwmB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jonnie Irwin (@jonnieirwintv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Following his death, BBC have paid tribute to the fallen host and described him as an “extraordinary man and wonderful presenter”.</p> <p>“He brought such warmth and fun to Escape To The Country where he was a firm favourite with not just viewers, but the production team too," head of BBC daytime Rob Unsworth said.</p> <p>“More recently, he did some truly inspirational reports for <em>Morning Live</em> about his illness, tackling taboos around end-of-life care and wonderfully demonstrating the limitless positivity that he brought to everything he did.”</p> <p>Irwin’s longtime co-star Jasmine Harman, also shared a tribute on Instagram.</p> <p>“I have never admired you more than over the last few years as you’ve faced life with cancer with positivity, determination and bloody mindedness,” she wrote. “The world is a little darker today without you, but I will always smile when I think of you.” </p> <p>Irwin is survived by his wife Jessica and their three children, Rex, five and three-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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Osher Günsberg slammed for "insulting Australians" over Voice defeat

<p>Osher Günsberg has been slammed online after sharing his thoughts on the Voice to Parliament defeat, saying Aussies were "manipulated" into voting No. </p> <p>In the final episode of <em>Q+A </em>for 2023, the TV personality said that Australians should be "asking questions about who flooded the zone (with misinformation)", leading to a landslide defeat of the referendum. </p> <p>A tense exchange kicked off between the panellists when another guest, Liberal party activist Charlotte Mortlock, said the country needed to come together after the referendum defeat. </p> <p id="ext-gen78">Günsberg said during the course of the campaign, Australia went "from mostly wanting to do it" to "Oh my God the UN's coming to take my back yard".</p> <p>He said Australians should be "terrified of how quickly we were manipulated as a country".</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QandA</a>: What is the next step for Indigenous Australians, after the Voice referendum? <a href="https://t.co/KgSoHkRp1d">pic.twitter.com/KgSoHkRp1d</a></p> <p>— ABC News (@abcnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews/status/1729098407208440254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>"We're really lucky that it wasn't during a khaki election," he said, referring to an election held at a time of war. </p> <p>Ms Mortlock defended the Coalition and No voters, saying, "It's been such a divisive year... I do absolutely think that there is work that we can do to in a constructive way that is going to really unite the country and that's what we all have to focus on."</p> <p>Günsberg was quick to question the Liberal party's real motives behind their No campaign, asking whether she felt Opposition Leader Peter Dutton really wanted to unite the nation.</p> <p>"I do. I think the question really is the how," Ms Mortlock replied. </p> <p id="ext-gen82">Günsberg said, "I don't believe he really wants to."</p> <p>Günsberg and the ABC were both later slammed online for how the program went with some calling the program "insufferable".</p> <p>Others were quick to poke fun at Osher's impressive reality TV résumé, saying, "After the way Osher insulted mainstream common-sense Aussies I will never watch <em>Bachelor</em> again."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Q+A</em></p> <p class="mol-para-with-font" style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; min-height: 0px; letter-spacing: -0.16px; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial;"> </p>

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"Soulless": Stan Grant finally breaks silence over Voice defeat

<p>Stan Grant has finally broken his silence over the devastating Voice to Parliament defeat, saying the nation failed to "shoulder the load" of Indigenous Australians.</p> <p>In his first public comments since the referendum results were announced, the Indigenous journalist said the resounding No vote was a "judgment on me and all the others like me", along with generations of Indigenous people.</p> <p>His scathing comments came during an address at the Australian National University's Crawford Leadership Forum, where the former <em>Q+A</em> host reflected on the referendum result.</p> <p>"The voice was never about resentment, it was never about identity - it was a release, it was a moment to lay our burdens down," he said.</p> <p>"But Australia would not shoulder that load. Instead, we got a lecture about unity."</p> <p>"Those who own history claimed for themselves history's final word: 'No'."</p> <p>Grant went on to say that the overwhelming defeat of the referendum made clear that there would be no further advancements in the rights of Indigenous Australians during his lifetime, as long as it was left up to the public. </p> <p>"We have laid the sod over (my ancestors), sealed them in," he said.</p> <p>"I thought in me they may be able to speak, that those two sides of me might find a common voice. But we said 'No' to that."</p> <p>"My country has buried my ancestors for a second time. I am hearing the cold-hearted 'no' of a country so comfortable it need not care."</p> <p>"A country that feels, right now, soulless. A country of numbers, and no words but one: 'No'."</p> <p>Grant finished his scathing tirade by calling out the Yes campaign for not "letting the Voice speak", while also calling for more radical change, saying the Voice proposal was "shushed, shrunk small enough to fit into politics". </p> <p>"In the consultants' suites and the lawyers' dens, it was determined that if the voice was made so inoffensive, people may say 'Yes'."</p> <p>"Instead, it was so inoffensive people found it so easy to say 'No'."</p> <p>"The constitution is not our problem - our conscience is our problem."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Q+A</em></p>

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"Devastating blow": Back to the Future star's tragic family news

<p><em>Back to the Future </em>star Lea Thompson, renowned for her role as Lorraine, the endearing mother of Michael J. Fox's iconic character, Marty McFly, has recently shared some deeply saddening family news.</p> <p>The 62-year-old actress opened up about her personal struggle, revealing that both of her older brothers have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease within a few months of each other.</p> <p>This announcement resonated profoundly with her fans and followers, especially given Michael J. Fox's well-known battle with the condition since his diagnosis in 1991 at the tender age of 29.</p> <p>In an emotionally charged Instagram post, Thompson shared her family's ordeal, writing, "Both of my beloved exceptional big brothers have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s within a few months of each other. It was such a devastating blow."</p> <p>She went on to describe how the disease had stealthily crept into their lives, noting that her brothers had been displaying signs of slowing down, but the true nature of their condition hadn't been immediately apparent.</p> <p>Fortunately, their early diagnosis, made possible by the diligent efforts of researchers supported by the Michael J. Fox Foundation, has offered them access to medications and tools that have significantly improved their quality of life.</p> <p>Accompanying her heartfelt message, Thompson posted pictures of herself with her two brothers during a day of golf, capturing a precious family moment. Another poignant photo showed her brothers with their arms wrapped around each other.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyz8bCxO9GF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyz8bCxO9GF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lea Thompson (@lea_thompson)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Thompson's dedication to raising awareness and support for Parkinson's research was evident when she expressed feeling "honoured" to be part of a "public service announcement" for the Michael J. Fox Foundation's gala, sharing a behind-the-scenes photo from the campaign. She also expressed gratitude for the support of scientists, philanthropists, and her "movie son", Michael J. Fox, who has been an unwavering advocate for Parkinson's research.</p> <p>The response from Thompson's fans and followers was heartwarming, as they flocked to the comments section to express their solidarity. Messages of love, hope and empathy poured in from all corners, with many sharing personal connections to Parkinson's disease and the advances in treatment and therapies they have witnessed.</p> <p>Parkinson's disease is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition, and it is the second most common neurological disorder in Australia, with over 100,000 Australians grappling with its impact. Common symptoms include tremors, slowness of movement, and rigidity.</p> <p>Michael J. Fox's diagnosis at the astonishingly young age of 29 stands as a stark reminder of the disease's unpredictable reach, as the average age of diagnosis hovers around 65.</p> <p>Parkinson's disease results from the brain's inability to produce sufficient dopamine, a neurotransmitter vital for controlling movement. Diagnosing Parkinson's is not straightforward; it often relies on clinical evaluation by specialists such as neurologists, who meticulously assess clinical signs and symptoms, as there are no definitive laboratory tests like blood work or brain scans available for diagnosis.</p> <p>Lea Thompson's open acknowledgment of her family's struggle with Parkinson's disease not only shines a light on the challenges faced by those living with the condition but also underscores the importance of continued research and support for those affected. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Waleed Aly and Steve Price clash over damning Voice letter

<p>Waleed Aly and Steve Price have clashed over an anonymous letter from Yes campaigners, condemning those who opposed the Voice to Parliament. </p> <p>On Sunday night, a lengthy and unsigned letter was shared by activists associated with the Uluru Dialogue group, as the letter slammed No voters for committing "a shameful act" by contributing to the Voice defeat. </p> <p>On <em>The Project</em>, Price was quick to slam the author of the letter, who addressed the message to the Prime Minister and all federal members of parliament, saying they did not have "the guts" to sign it. </p> <p>"It seems to me the Yes campaign hasn't learned anything about the result that happened Saturday two weeks ago," he said on Monday night. </p> <p>"The public voted 60 (per cent) No, 40 (per cent) Yes and yet, they pen a letter that they then send to the Cabinet and Prime Minister calling people who voted No as doing a shameful act, suggesting No voters are racists."</p> <p>"If you are going to do that, at least have the courage to put your name to it."</p> <p>Aly then leapt to the defence of those who wrote the anonymous letter, saying, "I don't think they said all No voters were racist."</p> <p>"They said racism was a big part of the campaign and the vote, they are inextricably bound up."</p> <p>Aly admitted that while he did not agree with everything in the letter, it was "hard to have a simple response to it".</p> <p>"They must be so hurting. I can't deny them that. Whether we agree or not," he said.</p> <p>The open letter claims to be "the collective insights and views of a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, community members and organisations who supported Yes".</p> <p>The published letter said, "The truth is that the majority of Australians have committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not, and there is nothing positive to be interpreted from it. We needed truth to be told to the Australian people." </p> <p><em>Image credits: The Project</em></p>

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Explainer: Australia has voted against an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Here’s what happened

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-maguire-129609">Amy Maguire</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></p> <p>A majority of Australian voters have rejected the proposal to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, with the final results likely to be about 40% voting “yes” and 60% voting “no”.</p> <h2>What was the referendum about?</h2> <p>In this referendum, Australians were asked to vote on whether to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander <a href="https://voice.gov.au/referendum-2023/referendum-question-and-constitutional-amendment">Voice</a> to Parliament. The Voice was proposed as a means of recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the <a href="https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/australias-first-peoples">First Peoples of Australia</a> in the Constitution.</p> <p>The Voice proposal was a modest one. It was to be an advisory body for the national parliament and government. Had the referendum succeeded, Australia’s Constitution would have been amended with a new section 129:</p> <blockquote> <p>In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:</p> <p>i. there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice</p> <p>ii. the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples</p> <p>iii. the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.</p> </blockquote> <p>This proposal was drawn from the <a href="https://ulurustatement.org/the-statement/view-the-statement/">Uluru Statement from the Heart</a> from 250 Indigenous leaders, which called for <a href="https://deadlystory.com/page/culture/Annual_Days/NAIDOC_Week/NAIDOC_2019/Hey_you_Mob_it_s_NAIDOC_week#:%7E:text=The%20statement%20outlines%20a%20need,see%20below%20for%20more%20information">three phases of reform</a> - Voice, followed by Treaty and Truth -telling about Australia’s colonial history. The proposal was for constitutional change to ensure the Voice would not be abolished by government in future, as previous Indigenous bodies have been.</p> <h2>How did Australians vote?</h2> <p>Voting is <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/about_aec/publications/voting/">compulsory</a> in Australia. Every eligible Australian citizen over 18 years of age is obliged to vote in elections and referendums. Australia has one of the <a href="https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/your-questions-on-notice/questions/how-many-people-voted-in-the-last-election/#:%7E:text=According%20to%20the%20Australian%20Electoral,voter%20turnouts%20in%20the%20world.">highest rates of voter turn out</a> in the world - over 90% of those eligible have voted in every national election since compulsory voting was introduced in 1924.</p> <p>Australia has a written <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2013Q00005">Constitution</a>. A successful referendum vote is required to <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter1/Constitution_alteration">change</a> the Constitution in any way.</p> <p>To succeed, a referendum proposition requires a <a href="https://voice.gov.au/referendum-2023/how-referendum-works#:%7E:text=For%20a%20referendum%20to%20be,4%20out%20of%206%20states.">double majority</a>. This means it must be agreed to by a majority of voters, and a majority of states. Australia has six <a href="https://digital-classroom.nma.gov.au/images/map-australia-showing-states-and-territories">states</a>, so at least four must have a majority of voters in favour for a referendum to succeed.</p> <p>Australia also has two territories - individuals in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/state-and-territory-ballots-will-be-counted-differently-at-the-voice-referendum-is-that-fair-212703">territories</a> contribute to the overall vote, but the territories do not count towards the majority of states.</p> <p>It’s very difficult to achieve constitutional change in Australia. Since federation in 1901, 45 questions have been put to Australian voters in <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/referendum_dates_and_results.htm">referendums</a>. Only eight of those have succeeded.</p> <p>In the Voice referendum, only the Australian Capital Territory voted “yes” by majority. A <a href="https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/ReferendumNationalResults-29581.htm">clear majority</a> of the national electorate voted “no”. All states returned majority “no” results.</p> <p>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people constitute <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/estimates-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-australians/latest-release#:%7E:text=Data%20downloads-,Key%20statistics,Queensland%20and%20Western%20Australia%20combined.">3.8% of Australia’s population</a>. Government members claimed on ABC TV in the referendum coverage that polling booths including high proportions of Indigenous voters, for example Palm Island in Queensland, returned high “yes” votes. However, in a majoritarian democracy like Australia, such a small proportion of the national population cannot dictate the outcome of a national poll.</p> <p>Importantly, the Voice referendum did not have unanimous support across the two main political parties in Australia. The Labor government <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-all-in-declares-an-emotional-albanese-as-he-launches-the-wording-for-the-voice-referendum-202435">announced</a> and has campaigned for “yes”. The leader of the opposition, Liberal Queensland MP <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-05/peter-dutton-voice-to-parliament-yes-no-vote-referendum/102797582">Peter Dutton</a>, campaigned strongly against the referendum proposal.</p> <h2>What happens now?</h2> <p>The government is bound to abide by the referendum result. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that his government <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/08/labor-wont-try-to-legislate-indigenous-voice-if-referendum-fails-albanese-says#:%7E:text=The%20prime%20minister%2C%20Anthony%20Albanese,away%20from%20the%20voice%20altogether%3F%E2%80%9D">will not seek to legislate a Voice</a> as an alternative to the constitutional model.</p> <p>Albanese, conceding the failure of the referendum, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-14/live-updates-voice-to-parliament-referendum-latest-news/102969568">said</a>: “Tomorrow we must seek a new way forward”. He called for a renewed focus on doing better for First Peoples in Australia.</p> <p>The referendum outcome represents a major loss for the government. But much more important than that will be the negative impacts of the campaign and loss on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.</p> <p>On ABC TV, Arrernte/Luritja woman <a href="https://www.snaicc.org.au/about/contact/staff-bios/">Catherine Liddle</a> called for a renewed focus on truth-telling and building understanding of Australia’s history across the population. She said the failure of the referendum reflected a lack of understanding about the lives and experiences of Indigenous people in Australia.</p> <p>“Yes” campaign advocates reported <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/we-are-tired-victorian-yes-advocates-devastated-as-no-vote-refuses-voice-20231012-p5ebse.html">devastation</a> at the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/14/australian-voters-reject-proposal-for-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-at-historic-referendum">outcome</a>. Sana Nakata, writing <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-political-subjugation-of-first-nations-peoples-is-no-longer-historical-legacy-213752">here</a>, said: “now we are where we have always been, left to build our better futures on our own”.</p> <p>Some First Nations advocates, including Victorian independent Senator <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/16/lidia-thorpe-says-australias-voice-referendum-should-be-called-off">Lidia Thorpe</a> - a Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung woman - argued the Voice proposal lacked substance and that the referendum should not have been held. Advocates of a “<a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/the-feed/article/these-progressive-no-campaigners-are-looking-beyond-the-vote-heres-what-they-want/tdyj2ilx6">progressive no</a>” vote (who felt the Voice didn’t go far enough) will continue to call for recognition of continuing First Nations sovereignty and self-determination through processes of treaty and truth-telling.</p> <p>The information landscape for Australian voters leading up to this referendum was murky and difficult to navigate. The Australian Electoral Commission published a <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/media/disinformation-register-ref.htm">disinformation register</a>. <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/extremely-politicised-and-very-worrying-how-misinformation-about-the-voice-spread/w9sl4pzba">Misinformation and lies</a>, many circulated through social media, have influenced the decision-making of a proportion of voters.</p> <p>It’s open to question whether constitutional change of any kind can be achieved while voters remain so exposed to multiple versions of “<a href="https://www.amnesty.org.au/sorting-fact-from-fiction-in-the-voice-to-parliament-referendum/">truth</a>”.</p> <p>For many First Nations people, the proliferation of lies and misinformation driven by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-66470376">racism</a> throughout the Voice debate have been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-03/indigenous-mental-health-impacts-of-voice-referendum-debate/102923188">traumatising</a> and brutal.</p> <p>Indigenous Australians’ Minister, Wiradjuri woman Linda Burney, spoke to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people after the result: “Be proud of your identity. Be proud of the 65,000 years of history and culture that you are part of”. Her <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/videos/national/linda-burney-gives-emotional-speech-following-referendum-result/clnpw6w0n009u0jp8kvgbijuy">pain</a> was patently obvious as she responded to the referendum outcome.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215155/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-maguire-129609"><em>Amy Maguire</em></a><em>, Associate Professor in Human Rights and International Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-australia-has-voted-against-an-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-heres-what-happened-215155">original article</a>.</em></p>

Legal

"A mean country": Stan Grant shares his thoughts on the Voice referendum

<p>Stan Grant has opened up about his thoughts on the Voice referendum campaigns, admitting it is becoming harder to defend Australia's "mean" reputation. </p> <p>The former ABC presenter appeared as a social guest on a special two-part episode of the podcast <em>Blak Matters</em>, with each part airing just before the Voice vote on October 14th. </p> <p>In the podcast, Grant spoke about his recent trip to Europe, working with the Constructive Institute in Denmark, and how difficult it has become to speak positively about living in Australia. </p> <p>“When you’re overseas, you’re almost an ambassador for your own country, you have to explain your country to other people,” Mr Grant said.</p> <p>“And it really saddened me that the word I kept coming back to was ‘mean,’ and I think we have become an increasingly mean country. I think there’s an absence of kindness in our country."</p> <p>“You hear it in things like ‘if you don’t know, vote no.’ That’s a mean thing to say.”</p> <p>Grant went on to criticise the "noise" surrounding the Voice, saying there has been very little constructive debate about the issue and too much fear mongering. </p> <p>“This is also the first referendum of the 24/7 news cycle and social media and that’s elevated and amplified the noise,” Mr Grant said.</p> <p>“For a lot of people, when you add uncomfortable questions of history and race, they’re barbecue stoppers."</p> <p>“If you want to stop the party, talk about racism, or talk about history. No one wants to go there."</p> <p>“And we have a referendum that lands right at that point of history and race and politics amplified by 24/7 news media, and a toxic social media weaponised by 24/7 news media coverage.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Listnr</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Coming to terms with the past is more important than ever. The Voice referendum is a vital first step

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-norman-859">Heidi Norman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p>This Saturday is the final day of voting in the Voice to Parliament referendum, which asks Australians to support recognition of First Peoples in the Constitution and enable First Peoples’ representation on relevant policies and programs.</p> <p>Over the last several weeks, I have attended many events supporting and advocating for the Voice referendum. In these forums, my fellow Australians talk about the Constitution, the role of government and how power is exercised in modern democracy. Some have never read or thought about the Constitution before.</p> <p>I’ve seen young First Nations lawyers explaining to a mixed crowd how the Constitution works, what is included in it and what a constitutionally enshrined Voice would mean. I have been invigorated by such sincere participation in understanding how our democracy works, and could work better.</p> <p>This serious contemplation was getting underway at the Referendum Council’s Aboriginal regional dialogues I attended in 2017. With other Aboriginal people, we discussed what change could look like. I have supported the implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and played my small part supporting the “yes” vote at my university and with my family and community.</p> <h2>How opinions have differed</h2> <p>Debates around the Voice have presented three competing narratives to the Australian public.</p> <p>The “yes” position addresses the outstanding business of the place of First Peoples in the life of the nation. This position is an offer of peace, to walk together towards settlement. It also believes that if First Peoples are able to work with and through government – with power devolved to local-level decision-making – the everyday experiences of the disadvantaged will be changed.</p> <p>The Voice proposal is a modest, middle path. It’s a compromise position that was believed to have the greatest chance of gaining support from progressives, liberals and conservatives.</p> <p>The “no” position refuses to acknowledge the unique place of First Peoples in the life of the nation and rejects any perceived “special treatment” based on either disadvantage or cultural difference.</p> <p>A third, minority group is the so-called “progressive no” vote, which rejects the Voice referendum as an unacceptable compromise with limited utility as a mechanism to advance First Peoples’ rights. It argues Voice is not enough, and it’s time instead for recognition of sovereignty.</p> <p>Each of these narratives draws from competing versions of the story of the nation’s past and future. We can see that understanding our history is more important than ever in addressing the politics of disruption and disinformation and the toxic social and political discourse that has dominated the campaign.</p> <h2>Right-wing tactics of division</h2> <p>Debate over the referendum has played out in a different way to other referendums and general election campaigns. The debate has often been discourteous, relying on a swarm of cruel, derogatory and racist social media posts. Some leading “no” campaigners have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/28/we-forgive-but-never-forget-yes-campaigner-rachel-perkins-responds-to-warren-mundine-on-uluru-statement">presented</a> increasingly extremist and sensational views intended to dominate the news cycle and social media.</p> <p>In many ways, the “no” campaign has followed patterns of right-wing campaigning from overseas, which is intended to destabilise the social relations, trust and confidence we have in one another and seed division.</p> <p>Consider the Brexit debate in the UK, and or US Capitol insurrection and claims of a stolen election by former President Donald Trump. Each provided a platform for people to express white nationalist sentiments and their deep distrust in the institutions of democratic government.</p> <p>The “no” campaign’s tactics have also sought to <a href="https://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/mcs/article/view/8813">link</a> a host of disparate themes to the referendum, from climate change denial to anti-vaccination beliefs. The common theme is grievance against the perceived extension of the distrusted government into people’s lives. Disinformation has played a key role.</p> <p>Other concerns have also been publicly raised about the Voice, such as that it would be a risk to <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-the-voice-to-parliament-would-not-force-people-to-give-up-their-private-land-212784">people’s private land</a>. These concerns are sincerely feared, but totally unfounded.</p> <h2>Difficulties confronting our history</h2> <p>What sits beneath this right-wing rhetoric in Australia is the highly charged debate over the nation’s past and its future.</p> <p>Contesting views about Australia’s history should not come as a surprise. Since historians became more interested in the telling of Australian history “from the other side” and writing First Peoples back into the nation’s story, it has been met with an equal measure of resistance and shock.</p> <p>The ongoing difficulty of “coming to terms” with colonial histories can be attributed to a number of things:</p> <ul> <li> <p>historical amnesia, disbelief or cultural differences over what counts as historical knowledge</p> </li> <li> <p>the strategic use of “forgetting” to protect a social group’s self-image</p> </li> <li> <p>and the belief that engaging in these difficult histories is somebody else’s responsibility rather than our own.</p> </li> </ul> <p>The Voice Referendum and Uluru Statement introduce a new nationalism underpinned by a different origin story: the process of a settlement between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians with a recognition of how our continent’s much deeper history can be a gift, or inheritance, to all Australians.</p> <p>In this vision for the future, the worlds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders narrate the story of the country over much longer timeframes through an entirely different archive and knowledge system.</p> <p>The idea of inheritance of a much deeper and longer history of country is less concerned with colonial settler-Indigenous relations. Rather, it is a transformed sense of history that extends over thousands of generations and speaks to place.</p> <h2>Playing a role in the future of the nation</h2> <p>The aim of the Voice is to strengthen democracy by meaningfully engaging with those who have the knowledge and expertise, in local conditions and contexts, to improve government decisions in Indigenous policy and programs.</p> <p>The Voice proposal eschews a rights framework in favour of <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/its-our-country-paperback-softback">providing</a></p> <blockquote> <p>the impetus for a profound paradigmatic shift between Indigenous peoples and the state. While this “power of influence” on one hand seeks to improve policy and programs and services on the ground, it also seeks to shape a new and meaningful relationship between Indigenous Peoples and political institutions.</p> </blockquote> <p>There is a legitimate and important role for government to play in First Peoples’ lives, but this role can be improved by greater participation and local-level input in the design and implementation of policy and programs.</p> <p>For too long, First Peoples have experienced the worst excesses of government and its various instruments – namely the police and judiciary. There’s a reason why many people hold a deep and abiding fear and suspicion of government. It has been responsible for many traumas:</p> <ul> <li> <p>the brutal dislodging of kinship connections</p> </li> <li> <p>the taking of land without any legal basis or compensation</p> </li> <li> <p>the violent dispersal of people from their land, which has rendered many destitute and without means to care for their families</p> </li> <li> <p>the removal of people’s children, denial of basic services and assistance, and management of people’s lives by a cruel and underfunded protection board</p> </li> <li> <p>the <a href="https://www.monash.edu/law/research/centres/castancentre/our-areas-of-work/indigenous/the-northern-territory-intervention/the-northern-territory-intervention-an-evaluation/what-is-the-northern-territory-intervention">empowering</a> of police and military to seize people’s community assets.</p> </li> </ul> <p>And yet, the Voice referendum, supported by the overwhelming majority of First Peoples, seeks to improve the relationship with governments to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness of policies intended to improve lives.</p> <p>At one Sydney “yes” rally, we walked from Redfern Park along Cleveland Street to Victoria Park. It was a massive turnout that far exceeded expectations. The mood was serious, yet joyous. People came from all over Sydney and brought their place with them – the crew from “The Shire” got a big cheer from the crowd.</p> <p>This gathering was not looking for division, but rather a heart-filled yearning to come together as a community of people and play a role in the future of a nation that’s accepting of the fact it’s our country, too.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215152/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/heidi-norman-859">Heidi Norman</a>, Professor, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Central Land Council - PR Image</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/coming-to-terms-with-the-past-is-more-important-than-ever-the-voice-referendum-is-a-vital-first-step-215152">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

Kyle and Jackie O reveal their stance on the Voice

<p>Kyle and Jackie O have revealed how they have voted in the Voice to Parliament referendum, while discussing the upcoming vote with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. </p> <p>The radio hosts were joined by the PM on Wednesday morning to chat about the Voice live on air, with Kyle Sandilands revealing he has voted Yes by postal vote. </p> <p>Sandilands admitted he was left feeling confused by the “talking points” from both sides, but shared he "feels like I’ve done the right thing" by voting Yes. </p> <p>“I just thought to myself, voting yes, that’s what I’m gonna do. I don’t care what anyone else does, but I just thought I want to … at least feel like I’ve done the right thing,” he told listeners and the Prime Minister. "Jackie also voted Yes."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyKu8qpPalZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyKu8qpPalZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>He went on to say there needed to be a greater focus on struggling regional communities where “young fellas” are getting into trouble because they’re "bored". </p> <p>“I’ve been that kid. I’m not even Indigenous. I’ve been that bored homeless kid where we just thought, ‘Let’s cause some trouble because there is nothing else to do’.”</p> <p>Mr Albanese agreed with Sandilands and praised him for voting Yes, saying the Voice would help create opportunities for Indigenous Australians.</p> <p>Sandilands told the Prime Minister that his co-host Jackie O had also voted Yes, but said after a number of open discussions about the referendum, some of the show’s staff had voted No.</p> <p>A producer on the program told Mr Albanese that he felt Indigenous Australians coming out in favour of the No vote had confused many voters. </p> <p>Sandilands said it depended on a person's individual politics, “not just the colour of your skin”, to which Albanese agreed. </p> <p><em>Image credits: KIISFM</em></p> <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.202209px; max-width: 100%;"> </div>

Legal

Ray Martin's scathing Voice to Parliament speech

<p>Ray Martin has ripped into No voters while discussing the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum, calling them "dinosaurs and d**kheads". </p> <p>The veteran TV presenter spoke to supporters of the Yes campaign at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville, in Sydney's inner west, and did not hold back on what he thought of those voting no on October 14th.</p> <p>He called out those who are voting No, suggesting they are too lazy to educate themselves by performing a simple Google search, and instead are being driven by division and fear.</p> <p>Martin said, “If you don’t know, find out what you don’t know.” </p> <div id="story-primary" data-area="story-primary"> <p>“What that excellent slogan is saying, is if you’re a dinosaur or a d**khead who can’t be bothered reading, then vote No.” </p> <p>He went on to argue that No voters kept begging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the details of the referendum, but the details “could not be simpler”. </p> </div> <p>“At this stage of the game, the details simply don’t matter. They never did matter, honestly. They’re irrelevant,” he said. </p> <p>“Over the next 10 to 20 years, no matter who is in government, the details will change, inevitably. As will the members of the Voice delegation from around Australia, according to the needs, the priorities and the policies that are meant to close that bloody gap. </p> <p>“You can’t write all that in the constitution in 2023.”</p> <p>He explained that as governments and priorities will change over the years, so will the roles and responsibilities of the Voice representatives. </p> <p>“It’s a big country with lots of different demands and needs. How do you give the details of all that in the Australian constitution? Of course you don’t.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

Sam Newman backs down on controversial Grand Final plans

<p>Sam Newman has remarkably backed down on his plans to boo during the Welcome to Country acknowledgement at the upcoming AFL grand final. </p> <p>The former AFL star <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/sam-newman-encourages-aussies-to-boo-during-welcome-to-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made waves</a> last week as he called for footy fans to boo and drown out the traditional welcome by First Nations Australians, with many quick to call his plans "racist" and "disrespectful". </p> <p>Newman even seemed to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/sam-newman-grilled-point-blank-are-you-a-racist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">double down</a> on his claims that the Welcome to Country was somehow more divisive that uniting, as some outraged Aussies even called for him to be removed from thew AFL Hall of Fame. </p> <p>However, the 77-year-old has now quickly back-tracked his statements, saying he will not be booing during the Welcome to Country at the AFL grand final on Saturday. </p> <p>"I wouldn't boo at the grand final, but it was just a flippant throw away line, I disagree with the Welcome to Country at the grand final," he said on his podcast.</p> <p>"My point is that every single thing you go to now, you go into a library, you go into anywhere at all, the whole thing starts with it."</p> <p>"The whole thing makes you feel guilty for being here."</p> <p>"When is it ever enough that we say 'hang on a minute, this is enough, how much further do we want to keep going?'"</p> <p>Newman again went on to say that he believed the Welcome to Country ceremony does not "unite us".</p> <p>"I said last week that we should boo the Welcome to Country, it was an extravagant statement."</p> <p>"(The Welcome to Country has) gone overboard and the social elites are only trying to placate their own white prejudice by feeling virtuous that they keep going on and on with this."</p> <p>"This is why I criticised the AFL, it's just become a minefield of nonsense, they've got to pull it back."</p> <p>"(It's) not uniting us, that is my point. Standing on the MCG on grand final day and saying 'you're welcome to the country and we give you permission to play on the ground', that's not uniting us."</p> <p>"That's showing the world that we are a divided nation, that's my point."</p> <p>Since Sam Newman's original statement, senator <span style="caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Lidia Thorpe has </span><span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol, Noto Color Emoji;">blasted his comments, saying he is missing the point on what the Welcome to Country is about. </span></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"Sam Newman, I'm not sure why he's even in the news. He's irrelevant to any debate of the time," she said on <em>Today</em>.</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"It's about peace. The whole message behind it is respect."</p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

7 ways to look after yourself and your community before and after the Voice referendum

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacob-prehn-956034">Jacob Prehn</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joselynn-baltra-ulloa-1470454">Joselynn Baltra-Ulloa</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-canty-1470456">Justin Canty</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-vincent-1470455">Kate Vincent</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/milena-heinsch-348951">Milena Heinsch</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p>The lead-up to the Voice referendum is already <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/24/concerns-for-mental-health-of-indigenous-australians-amid-reported-uptick-in-abuse-as-voice-debate-progresses">affecting</a> the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These impacts will likely worsen during and after the vote.</p> <p>A quick search of any social media platform about the Voice referendum reveals a range of strong perspectives on voting “yes” or “no”. But in the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/29/government-puts-social-media-giants-on-notice-over-misinformation-and-hate-speech-during-voice-referendum">loosely regulated</a> world of social and news media, many conversations are becoming toxic and racist, and turning into <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/first-nations-mental-health-advocates-call-on-politicians-to-champion-respectful-referendum/vh4ytvjvq">hate speech</a>.</p> <p>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are already <a href="https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/3-10-access-mental-health-services#:%7E:text=Aboriginal%20and%20Torres%20Strait%20Islander%20people%20experience%20a%20higher%20rate,as%20high%20as%20for%20non%2D">disproportionately affected</a> by mental ill health, including hospitalisations and <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/suicide-self-harm-monitoring/data/populations-age-groups/suicide-indigenous-australians">troubling rates</a> of suicide. This is why we must take extra care and adopt strategies to support Indigenous Australians and each other.</p> <h2>The issues hate speech bring</h2> <p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/10538720.2019.1683113">Research</a> following the marriage equality postal survey in 2017 found the intense public debates and media messaging had negatively affected the mental health of LGBTIQ+ communities. As we approach the Voice referendum it’s imperative we learn from this.</p> <p>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-health/status-and-determinants#:%7E:text=The%20burden%20of%20disease%20for,and%20Torres%20Strait%20Islander%20people.">worse</a> health and wellbeing outcomes than non-Indigenous people in Australia. <a href="https://indigenoushpf.gov.au/report-overview/overview/summary-report?ext=.">A government health performance summary report</a>, released in July, revealed about one-third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience elevated levels of psychological distress.</p> <p>For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to achieve equity with non-Indigenous Australians on measures such as life expectancy, education and income, there needs to be systemic change. This type of change would likely include constitutional amendments, legislative revisions, the establishment of treaties, embracing truth-telling and other significant measures.</p> <p>Undoubtedly, such transformative steps would spark national discussion and debate. Discussion is important to fostering understanding and driving progress in society. The problem lies in the politicisation of debate about marginalised people and the amplifying effect on their psychological distress and mental health. This should be a pressing concern for all Australians.</p> <p>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in mental health during the Voice referendum is crucial. Dr Clinton Schultz, a Gamilaroi man, for example, is leading work with the <a href="https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/media-releases/indigenous-mental-health-groups-call-on-politicians-to-champion-respectful-referendum/">Black Dog Institute</a> to encourage respectful conversations and protect the wellbeing of Indigenous people.</p> <p>The federal government has also contributed through the “<a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-09/first-nations-mental-health-and-wellbeing-services-and-supports.pdf">Take care of yourself and your mob</a>” initiative.</p> <h2>Seven strategies for self and collective care</h2> <p>As social work academics with expertise in the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we propose <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jean-Balestrery/publication/368288426_Ubuntu_and_Social_Work_Advancing_A_Global_Lens_and_Language_in_Healthcare/links/641b07ae92cfd54f842048cc/Ubuntu-and-Social-Work-Advancing-A-Global-Lens-and-Language-in-Healthcare.pdf#page=502">seven strategies of self-care for Indigenous Australians</a> as the referendum draws nearer.</p> <p>We also invite non-Indigenous people to provide support for First Nations people during this time, and always.</p> <p><strong>1) Set boundaries when discussing the Voice referendum</strong></p> <p>Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the right to choose whether they wish to engage in conversations about the Voice referendum, or answer questions. If you are non-Indigenous, be mindful unsolicited questions about the referendum, particularly from acquaintances or strangers, could inadvertently make someone feel burdened, uncomfortable or unsafe.</p> <p><strong>2) Disconnect and spend less time looking at social media and news</strong></p> <p>We have witnessed a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-02/rise-in-harmful-online-attacks-in-lead-up-to-voice-referendum/102807476">surge</a> in offensive, harmful and racist content online. For everyone, limiting exposure to social media and the news can be essential for mental wellbeing. Disconnecting and restricting how much energy we put into such content is something we can control.</p> <p>If you are non-Indigenous and encounter such comments online, please report them. We can all play a part in fostering a safe and respectful community.</p> <p><strong>3) Stay connected with others and avoid isolation</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291120300723">Social isolation can take a toll on health and wellbeing</a>. Prioritise quality time with friends, family and community, exploring conversations beyond the referendum. Embrace opportunities to stay connected with others through meaningful physical, social and cultural interactions.</p> <p><strong>4) Personal and community-care practices</strong></p> <p>Self-care is often viewed as an individual activity. Find ways to create, maintain and enhance personal and community-based care practices. Consider opportunities for including others in activities such as exercise, time outside or crafting cultural items. Organisations can lead and facilitate these collective care initiatives.</p> <p><strong>5) Make time for your body, mind and spirit</strong></p> <p>Set aside regular time for physical activity, stimulate your mind with enjoyable pursuits and nurture your spiritual dimensions if they hold significance for you. This could include connecting with country, attending church or practising yoga.</p> <p><strong>6) Spend time on Country and practice Indigenous culture</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.lowitja.org.au/content/Document/Lowitja-Publishing/Lowitja_Inst_Health_Benefits_OnCountry__report__WEB.pdf">Spend time on Country</a> in your favourite place, <a href="https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/148406/8/Defining_the_Indefinable_WEB2_FINAL.pdf">undertake cultural practices</a> and invite others to join you. If you are non-Indigenous, seek out opportunities to deepen cross-cultural connection, understanding and appreciation by participating in Indigenous cultural practices.</p> <p><strong>7) Know the signs and seek help</strong></p> <p>Emotional distress and triggers can arise unexpectedly. Recognise the <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-you-worried-someone-you-care-about-is-thinking-of-suicide-heres-how-you-can-support-them-from-afar-135940">signs</a> within yourself and among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people around you. If you or anyone else is feeling unwell, we suggest moving away from the cause, spending time with people and places that bring you peace, and if needed <a href="https://www.13yarn.org.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmICoBhDxARIsABXkXlKDSN_iCsyfccXNgD8k49nK5xE0ChmBykxLGcLrt_e_oVVTBtDonD0aAv22EALw_wcB">seeking help</a>.</p> <p>The enduring resilience shown by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is deep, but not inexhaustible. All Australians should make caring for each other a focus in these complex and challenging times.</p> <hr /> <p><em>If you are experiencing distress, there are First Nations-led resources available:</em></p> <ul> <li> <p><em><a href="https://wellmob.org.au/">Wellmob</a></em></p> </li> <li> <p><em><a href="https://www.13yarn.org.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwx5qoBhDyARIsAPbMagCVVK7aNnqHIcZ-WPSTIf9SbgWpx9QBeCpPIJtIYUKBYazBkfNf9CYaAhaEEALw_wcB">13YARN</a></em></p> </li> <li> <p><em><a href="https://headspace.org.au/yarn-safe/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwx5qoBhDyARIsAPbMagDOgHR_7ErG-8VZkWUYYx7kSVlvgFhPxxugvdhi1VQc7sfIapTXbdIaArg8EALw_wcB">Yarn Safe</a></em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213372/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> </li> </ul> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacob-prehn-956034">J<em>acob Prehn</em></a><em>, Associate Dean Indigenous College of Arts, Law, and Education; Senior Lecturer - Indigenous Fellow, Social Work, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joselynn-baltra-ulloa-1470454">Joselynn Baltra-Ulloa</a>, Senior Lecturer in Social Work - School of Social Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-canty-1470456">Justin Canty</a>, Lecturer in Social Work - School of Social Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-vincent-1470455">Kate Vincent</a>, Lecturer in Social Work, Social Work Program Convenor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/milena-heinsch-348951">Milena Heinsch</a>, Professor and Head of Social Work, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/7-ways-to-look-after-yourself-and-your-community-before-and-after-the-voice-referendum-213372">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

No, the Voice proposal will not be ‘legally risky’. This misunderstands how constitutions work

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/william-partlett-708330">William Partlett</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>The “no” campaign’s primary argument in the current referendum debate focuses on the dangerous consequences of a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.</p> <p>This argument is relevant to the parliamentary debate about how a constitutional Voice to Parliament will be set up through legislation. But it has no bearing on the referendum debate.</p> <p>This debate involves a different, moral question: do you support the idea of recognising First Australians in the Constitution by giving them a voice on matters that affect them?</p> <h2>What exactly is the ‘no’ campaign arguing?</h2> <p>Although the “no” campaign opposes a constitutionally enshrined Voice, some of its key leaders are not against the general idea of a Voice institution itself. Instead, many “no” campaigners, including Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, <a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/voice-to-parliament/dutton-says-his-priority-remains-establishing-a-local-and-regional-voice/video/45255e2fa30463000b1111d7188db1aa">support</a> legislated Voice institutions at the regional level.</p> <p>The “no” side also does not oppose constitutional recognition for First Australians. Dutton has recently promised that if the Voice referendum fails, the Coalition would <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/03/peter-dutton-says-coalition-will-hold-indigenous-recognition-referendum-if-voice-to-parliament-vote-fails">hold another referendum</a> on First Nations constitutional recognition if it is returned to power.</p> <p>The “no” side’s main argument, therefore, is a very specific one. It focuses on what it claims are the dangerous consequences of recognising First Australians by placing a Voice institution in the Australian Constitution.</p> <p>In its official campaign <a href="https://aec.gov.au/referendums/files/pamphlet/referendum-booklet.pdf">pamphlet</a>, the “no” side claims that doing this will:</p> <ul> <li> <p>be “legally risky” and lead to litigation</p> </li> <li> <p>“risk delay and dysfunction” in government</p> </li> <li> <p>be a “costly and bureaucratic” institution with “no issue beyond its scope”.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Finally, the “no” side claims the Albanese government has not put forth any details on how this Voice body would function, and it would be a “permanent” change that will open the door for “activists”.</p> <h2>The nature of constitutions</h2> <p>These concerns, however, fundamentally misunderstand how constitutions work.</p> <p>Constitutions are not detailed documents that anticipate every possible circumstance. On the contrary, they are by nature short and incomplete documents. They inherently contain large gaps.</p> <p>In Australia, the evolution of constitutional institutions has been primarily shaped by parliament through legislation.</p> <p>Take the constitutional provision creating the High Court as an example. The Constitution contains very little detail on how the High Court operates. It does not even specify how many justices will be on the court. It merely says:</p> <blockquote> <p>The High Court shall consist of a Chief Justice, and so many other Justices, not less than two, as the Parliament prescribes.</p> </blockquote> <p>Indeed, it was left to parliament to establish the jurisdiction and powers of the High Court in the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2016C00836">Judiciary Act</a> in 1903. And since then, parliament has passed numerous amendments that continue to shape the operation of the court, ensuring it continues to develop in line with the needs of contemporary Australian society.</p> <p>For instance, the court has <a href="https://www.hcourt.gov.au/about/history-of-the-high-court">increased</a> in size from three to seven justices in order to handle its increasing case load, which many in the early 20th century thought would be very light.</p> <h2>The Voice to Parliament proposal</h2> <p>The proposed Voice body will operate in the same way. The <a href="https://voice.gov.au/referendum-2023/referendum-question-and-constitutional-amendment">proposal</a> is typical of other clauses already in the Constitution – it contains little detail other than there “shall be a body” called the “Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders Voice” that will make “representations” to parliament.<br />Details on how the body is selected and how it will operate are explicitly left to parliament.</p> <p>The final section of the proposed Voice provision <a href="https://voice.gov.au/referendum-2023/referendum-question-and-constitutional-amendment">states</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>the parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.</p> </blockquote> <p>If the October referendum vote is successful, it will be up to the current parliament to pass the foundational legislation setting up the Voice body. But this law will always be subject to change by subsequent parliaments. If there are problems with the way it functions, future parliaments can fix those issues through amending legislation (just as the functioning of the High Court has changed over time).</p> <p>The proposed constitutional Voice will, therefore, operate in much the same way as a legislated Voice would. In the end, both would be controlled by parliament.</p> <p>The various concerns of the “no” side are best suited to this legislative debate. For instance, it will be important to ensure the legislation creating the Voice does not lead to dysfunctional government or become a costly or ineffective bureaucracy.</p> <p>But the “no” side’s concerns have no bearing on the constitutional question we all must answer in the referendum.</p> <h2>A moral question</h2> <p>Instead, we face a clearer, moral question on October 14: do we support the idea of recognising First Australians in the Constitution by giving them a voice in matters that affect them?</p> <p>In answering this question, it is worth considering the <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/IndigLRes/rciadic/national/vol1/">findings</a> of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody from more than 30 years ago.</p> <p>The commission linked the shocking number of First Australians dying in state custody to the historical fact that Aboriginal people have faced “deliberate and systematic disempowerment” for more than a century. It said:</p> <blockquote> <p>Decisions were made about them and for them and imposed upon them.</p> </blockquote> <p>Only First Nations empowerment, the report concluded, would overcome this disadvantage.</p> <p>This empowerment process began with a series of First Nations regional dialogues that ultimately called for a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament in 2017. This empowerment is not real, however, until we heed this call.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212696/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/william-partlett-708330"><em>William Partlett</em></a><em>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty </em><em>Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-the-voice-proposal-will-not-be-legally-risky-this-misunderstands-how-constitutions-work-212696">original article</a>.</em></p>

Legal

The ‘yes’ Voice campaign is far outspending ‘no’ in online advertising, but is the message getting through?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrea-carson-924">Andrea Carson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/max-gromping-1466451">Max Grömping</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-strating-129115">Rebecca Strating</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simon-jackman-310245">Simon Jackman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>With early voting set to open next week for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, this is a critical time for campaigners to win over voters.</p> <p>If the <a href="https://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/n11054/pdf/ch01.pdf">2022 federal election</a> is anything to go by, Australians have developed a taste for early voting, with fewer than half of all voters actually going to a polling station on election day.</p> <p>If the same voting patterns apply to the referendum, this means more than half of Australians, particularly <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/government-and-opposition/article/correlates-of-early-voting/49D19E94A1D26F9AFE1B72DCB56AFF3F">older voters</a>, may have cast a vote before voting day on October 14.</p> <h2>What’s happening in the polls?</h2> <p>Public polls indicate support for the “yes” campaign continues to decline, despite, as we’ve shown below, huge spending on advertising and extensive media coverage of its message.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://simonjackman.github.io/poll_averaging_voice_2023/poll_averaging.html">Professor Simon Jackman’s</a> averaging of the polls, “no” currently leads “yes” by 58% to 42% nationally. If this lead holds, the result would be <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/1999_referendum_reports_statistics/1999.htm">even more lopsided</a> than the 1999 republic referendum defeat, where the <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/1999_referendum_reports_statistics/summary_republic.htm">nationwide vote </a> was 55% “no” to 45% “yes”.</p> <p>The rate of decline in support for “yes” continues to be about 0.75 of a percentage point a week. If this trend continues, the “yes” vote would sit at 39.6% on October 14, 5.5 percentage points below the “yes” vote in the republic referendum.</p> <p>If “yes” were to prevail on October 14, it would take a colossal reversal in public sentiment, or it would indicate there’s been a stupendously large, collective polling error. Or perhaps both.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe style="width: 100%;" src="https://simonjackman.github.io/poll_averaging_voice_2023/level_plot_standalone.html" width="100%" height="688"> </iframe></p> <hr /> <h2>What’s happening in the news and social media?</h2> <p>Using Meltwater data, we have seen a massive spike in Voice media coverage since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the referendum date at the end of August.</p> <p>In the most recent week we analysed, from September 14-21, we saw a huge jump of mentions of the Voice to Parliament (2.86 million) in print media, radio, TV and social media. This compares to about a quarter million mentions in the first week of the “yes” and “no” campaigns, which we documented in our <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-no-campaign-is-dominating-the-messaging-on-the-voice-referendum-on-tiktok-heres-why-212465">last report</a> of this series monitoring both campaigns.</p> <p>Voice coverage now constitutes 6.7% of all Australian media reporting, up from 4.2% in week one. To put that in perspective, mentions of Hugh Jackman’s marriage split from Deborra-Lee Furness comprised 1.5% of total weekly coverage, while mentions of the AFL and NRL amounted to 4.1% and 1.7%, respectively.</p> <p>Media coverage of the Voice peaked on September 17 with 38,000 mentions, thanks to widespread coverage of the “yes” rallies that day around the country.</p> <p>This was followed closely by 35,000 Voice mentions the next day, led by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s <a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/voice-to-parliament/voice-will-see-lawyers-in-sydney-and-melbourne-get-richer-dutton/video/40349a54a9f0c2f48baec7ba7263a000">claim</a> on Sky News that a Voice to parliament would see lawyers in Sydney and Melbourne “get richer” through billions of dollars worth of treaty negotiations.</p> <p>Our analysis of X (formerly Twitter) data provides further insight to these trends, showing the nationwide “yes” rallies on September 17 received the most public engagement about the Voice during the week we analysed.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=269&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=269&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=269&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549754/original/file-20230922-21-tp54x2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">X (Twitter) data accessed via Meltwater.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <h2>Who is advertising online?</h2> <p>This week, we specifically turned our attention to the online advertising spending of the campaigns. We also examined the types of disinformation campaigns appearing on social media, some of which are aimed at the Australian Electoral Commission, similar to the anti-democratic disinformation campaigns that have roiled the US.</p> <p>The main online advertising spend is on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms. We have real-time visibility of this spending thanks to the ad libraries of Meta and Google.</p> <p>The Yes23 campaign has far outspent any other Voice campaigner on these platforms. In the last three months, its advertising expenditure exceeds $1.1 million, compared to just under $100,000 for Fair Australia, the leading “no” campaign organisation.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=241&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549942/original/file-20230925-23-7tl134.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Top five Voice campaign spenders on Facebook and Instagram since June 2023.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Meta ad library</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <p>Yes23 has also released a far greater number of new ads in September (in excess of 3,200) on both platforms, compared to Fair Australia’s 52 new ads. The top five spenders from both sides are listed below.</p> <p>As early voting nears, this graph shows Yes23 ad spending outpaced Fair Australia on both Google and Meta platforms in week three, as well.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549762/original/file-20230922-23-1bi7ov.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Campaign ad spending on digital platforms from Sept. 14-21.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Authors provided.</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <p>The advertising spending data shows how drastically different the strategies of the two main campaigns are. Yes23’s approach is an ad blitz, blanketing the nation with hundreds of ads and experimenting with scores of different messages.</p> <p>In contrast, the “no” side has released far fewer ads with no experimentation. The central message is about “division”, mostly delivered by the lead “no” campaigner, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. All but eight of the ads released by the “no” side in September feature a personal message by Price arguing that the referendum is “divisive” and “the Voice threatens Aussie unity.”</p> <p>To win, “yes” requires a majority of voters nationwide, as well as a majority of voters in a majority of states. The “no” side is strategically targeting its ads to the two states it believes are most likely in play – South Australia and Tasmania. It only needs to win one of these states to ensure the “yes” side fails.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=797&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=797&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=797&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1001&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1001&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549949/original/file-20230925-20-zgr4wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1001&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Campaign ad spend on Meta platforms across the states since mid-August. (Dark blue = greater the ad spend).</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <h2>Referendum disinformation</h2> <p>The Meltwater data also reveal a surge in misinformation and disinformation targeting of the AEC with American-style attacks on the voting process.</p> <p>Studies show disinformation surrounding the referendum has been <a href="https://osf.io/qu2fb/">prevalent</a> on X since at least March. To mitigate the harms, the AEC has established a <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/media/disinformation-register-ref.htm">disinformation register</a> to inform citizens about the referendum process and call out falsehoods.</p> <p>We’ve identified three types of disinformation campaigns in the campaign so far.</p> <p>The first includes attempts to redefine the issue agenda. Examples range from the false <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-02/fact-check-indigenous-australians-support-for-the-voice/102673042">claims</a> that First Nations people do not overwhelmingly support the Voice to <a href="https://stephenreason.substack.com/p/the-voice-to-parliament-the-united">conspiracy myths</a> about the Voice being a globalist land grab.</p> <p>These falsehoods aim to influence vote choice. This disinformation type is not covered in the AEC’s register, as the organisation has no provisions to enforce truth in political advertising.</p> <p>The register does cover a second type of disinformation. This includes spurious claims about the voting process, such as that the referendum is voluntary. This false claim aims to depress voter turnout in yet another attempt to influence the outcome.</p> <p>Finally, a distinct set of messages targets the AEC directly. The aim is to undermine trust in the integrity of the vote.</p> <p>A most prominent example was Dutton’s <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/voice-voting-rules-confusion-stinks-dutton-20230824-p5dz41">suggestion</a> the voting process was “rigged” due to the established rule of counting a tick on the ballot as a vote for “yes”, while a cross will not be accepted as a formal vote for “no”. Sky News host Andrew Bolt <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1256952825005993">echoed</a> this claim in his podcast, which was repeated on social media, reaching 29,800 viewers in one post.</p> <p>Attention to the tick/cross issue spiked on August 25 when the AEC <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/25/indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum-aec-poll-unfairness-claims-rejected">refuted</a> the claim (as can be seen in the chart below). Daily Telegraph columnist and climate change denialist Maurice Newman then linked the issue to potential <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/maurice-newman-aec-rules-on-voting-could-create-confusion-uncertainty/news-story/c76bc3e1e031c2f349710dd1e9f3b51e?btr=15aad1c65d873d8f896d09618a96e228">voter fraud</a>, mimicking US-style attacks on the integrity of voting systems.</p> <hr /> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/549852/original/file-20230924-23-ob3ltn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Disinformation attacking AEC or referendum over past month.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Authors provided</span></span></figcaption></figure> <hr /> <p>The volume of mentions of obvious disinformation on media and social media may not be high compared to other mentions of the Voice. However, studies show disinformation disproportionately grabs people’s attention due to the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-019-0224-y">cognitive attraction</a> of pervasive negativity, the focus on threats or arousal of disgust.</p> <p>All three types of disinformation campaigns attacking this referendum should concern us deeply because they <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00104140231193008">threaten trust</a> in our political institutions, which undermines our vibrant democracy.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213749/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrea-carson-924"><em>Andrea Carson</em></a><em>, Professor of Political Communication, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/max-gromping-1466451">Max Grömping</a>, Senior Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rebecca-strating-129115">Rebecca Strating</a>, Director, La Trobe Asia and Associate Professor, La Trobe University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/simon-jackman-310245">Simon Jackman</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-yes-voice-campaign-is-far-outspending-no-in-online-advertising-but-is-the-message-getting-through-213749">original article</a>.</em></p>

Money & Banking

Sam Newman encourages Aussies to boo during Welcome to Country

<p>Sam Newman has caused a stir after he encouraged Aussies to boo during the Welcome to Country acknowledgement at the upcoming AFL Grand Final.</p> <p>The sporting legend, who staunchly opposes the Yes vote, told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/afl/article-12538667/Sam-Newman-welcome-country-boo-AFL-grand-final.html?ito=social-facebook_Australia&fbclid=IwAR16kiBQgzp8PA53n2TtbysHYzk7AiC2jg_SLelrmeqsplqeUnvuELevJls" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Daily Mail Australia</em></a> that the traditional ceremony was being used for political power, and everyday Aussies shouldn't be forced to listen to it at events. </p> <p>“If we are at all serious about the Welcome to Country and the nonsense that has suddenly taken over in the last 20 years from a completely harmless introduction by Ernie Dingo some years ago and people have latched onto it,” he told the publication. </p> <p>“What about this, next time you go to a public event like the Grand Final or a football game or any public event in an auditorium and they trot out the Welcome to Country, start booing … or slow hand clapping.”</p> <p>Newman, a white Australian, also mentioned that he believes many First Nations Australians share his views on the ceremony.</p> <p>“Of course it’s being rude, and so who is forcing this nonsense onto us?” he continued. </p> <p>“Who is telling us that we should be welcomed to (the) country that we live in, that we try and cohabitate, cohabit with all the people that have come here – particularly the Indigenous people."</p> <p>“There’s so many people who say it and I keep saying it’s just a push for reparations and financial power. It is, and I’m saying, the next time you go to a football game, a final, and they trot this nonsense out just start booing and that’ll stop (it)."</p> <p>Senator Lidia Thorpe was one of many people who lashed out at Newman's comments, as she spoke to Karl Stefanovic on <em>Today</em> to explain the purpose of the Welcome to Country. </p> <div id="story-primary" data-area="story-primary"> <p>“We all are on stolen land, there has never been a treaty, and a Welcome to Country is a way to bring people along on an understanding of the country that you are all living on,” the independent Senator said.</p> <p>“It’s about peace and the whole message behind a Welcome to Country is about respect and bringing people together. And I think Sam Newman is — you know, he is not a respectful man at the best of times so he needs to educate himself and not be so racist all the time.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

News

Cathy Freeman reveals her stance on the Voice

<p>Cathy Freeman has revealed her stance on the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum, joining the Yes campaign in their latest promotion video. </p> <p>The Olympic champion, who is a proud Kuku Yalanji and Birri Gubba woman, spoke out for the first time in support of the Voice, and asking other Aussies to "stand with me". </p> <p>"I can't remember a time when change has felt so urgent, where momentum has been so strong," Freeman says in the video.</p> <p>"From small towns to big cities, something is in the air. I know all Australians feel it too."</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0X1H4ms2BtI?si=8Fu5guV41zxs2sge" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>"We have the chance to be part of a moment that brings people together, to work hard for something that we can all believe in."</p> <p>"And right now, each of us can be part of something that really matters. To stand together and to show our support for Australians who need it the most."</p> <p>"To recognise Indigenous peoples in our constitution for the very first time, to give our kids the very best start in life, an equal start in life."</p> <p>"And to open our hearts and change our future."</p> <p>She concluded the video by urging undecided Aussies to join her at the polls and vote Yes in the historic referendum.</p> <p>"I'm voting yes, and I am asking that all Australians do too. So please stand with me and write Yes on October 14," she said. </p> <p>Freeman has joined the campaign just after an estimated 200,000 people turned out across the country to march in support of the Yes campaign, just four weeks before the vote is set to take place. </p> <p>Australians will head to the polls on October 14th to either vote Yes or No to instate an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, which will act as an advisory board to amplify issues plaguing Indigenous communities.</p> <p><em>Image credits: YouTube - Yes23</em></p>

Legal

No, the Voice to Parliament would not force people to give up their private land

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-galloway-9907">Kate Galloway</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p>In the polarised debate about the Voice to Parliament referendum, some proponents of the “no” vote have <a href="https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/voice-legislation-does-not-authorise-a-land-grab/">claimed</a> the creation of the new advisory body would lead to the conversion of private land titles in Australia to native title.</p> <p>The implication is that people will be forced to give up their land. This has sown fear among some Australians.</p> <p>Last week, a false letter purporting to be from a member of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria was distributed to homes in regional Victoria, saying the body was moving into the “next phase of reacquiring land”. The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/fake-letter-scaremongering-about-indigenous-land-claims-sparks-outrage-20230912-p5e43n.html">called</a> it a “another example of the dirty tricks campaign” being waged to sow doubt over the Voice referendum.</p> <p>Similar concerns were raised following the High Court decision in the <a href="https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/mabo-case">Mabo case</a> in 1992 and passage of the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2017C00178">Native Title Act</a> a year later.</p> <p>Like the fear-mongering over the Mabo decision, the current alarm over the potential loss of private lands with a Voice to Parliament is unwarranted because this claim is manifestly incorrect.</p> <p>There are two foundational legal reasons why:</p> <ul> <li> <p>because of the words of the proposed constitutional amendment itself</p> </li> <li> <p>and because of the way that native title works.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>Would the proposed Voice have powers related to land?</h2> <p>The proposed constitutional amendment that would create the Voice is very simple. It seeks to insert one new section into the Constitution, which reads:</p> <blockquote> <p>In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:</p> <ol> <li> <p>there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;</p> </li> <li> <p>the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;</p> </li> <li> <p>the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.</p> </li> </ol> </blockquote> <p>The words clearly provide for only one activity to be undertaken by the Voice. The new body “may make representations” on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.</p> <p>There is no express or hidden power to either take people’s land or give land to First Nations people. The Voice is a committee that may provide advice to parliament and government on issues relating to First Nations people. That is all.</p> <p>And this advice is not binding. The parliament of the day is free to ignore it, if it wishes to.</p> <p>The new provision also gives one sole power to the parliament – it would have the capacity to set up the Voice. It is not possible to understand this provision as creating a special power to take people’s land, or to “convert” land to native title.</p> <p>Importantly, the power to establish the Voice would not be given to the government – it would belong to parliament. In exercising this power, normal parliamentary processes will apply and the parliament will be accountable to the public.</p> <p>There are no other changes to the Constitution proposed in this referendum.</p> <h2>How native title works</h2> <p>In the famous Mabo case, the High Court found that the land title of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, held under their traditional law and custom, survived the introduction of British sovereignty over Australia.</p> <p>Mabo confirmed native title can only be claimed over land where there is no interest in conflict with the exercise of this right. Native title will always give way to grants of exclusive land use.</p> <p>Following this decision, the law now states that every grant of freehold land (“private” land) extinguishes native title. Further, in the later case of <a href="https://jade.io/article/68082">Fejo v Northern Territory</a>, the High Court confirmed that once native title has been extinguished, it cannot be revived.</p> <p>Consequently, even if the constitutional change creating the Voice did (somehow) recognise native title, it is not possible to “convert” freehold land to native title. On private land, native title no longer exists under Australian law.</p> <p>To put these claims of “land conversion” in context, it is helpful to recall the public response to the Mabo decision.</p> <p>Following the High Court judgement in Mabo, the mining industry ran a national campaign asserting that native title would threaten people’s back yards. The managing director of Western Mining, Hugh Morgan, <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=(Id:library/prspub/raf10);rec=0">said</a> the High Court’s decision</p> <p>"put at risk the whole legal framework of property rights throughout the whole community."</p> <p>This campaign led to significant public fear about the effects of native title.</p> <p>These claims about native title after Mabo were incorrect. Private landholdings have not been threatened. Indeed, on the ten-year anniversary of the Mabo decision, former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett even <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/i-was-wrong-on-mabo-kennett-20020601-gdu9dt.html">admitted that his initial fears had been unfounded</a>.</p> <p>In reading or listening to claims about the effect of the Voice, it is prudent to question the source of information. If you have questions, seek a reliable source to read the words of the proposed amendment and understand the objective of the constitutional change. If you hear of a claim that seems extreme, it may well be aimed at diverting the public’s attention from the real issues.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212784/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kate-galloway-9907"><em>Kate Galloway</em></a><em>, Associate Professor of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-the-voice-to-parliament-would-not-force-people-to-give-up-their-private-land-212784">original article</a>.</em></p>

Legal

Misinformation and the Voice: how can you spot and defuse false claims?

<p>On 14 October, Australians will vote in their first referendum in 24 years.</p> <div class="copy"> <p>The question – whether to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament – has been hotly debated for much of this year already, and campaigning will ramp up for both the Yes and No votes in coming weeks.</p> <p><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/what-if-instead-of-blaming-readers-of-misinformation-we-showed-them-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-facts-and-falsehoods/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="link" data-id="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/what-if-instead-of-blaming-readers-of-misinformation-we-showed-them-how-to-tell-the-difference-between-facts-and-falsehoods/">Misinformation</a> and <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/inoculating-against-disinformation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="link" data-id="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/inoculating-against-disinformation/">disinformation</a> about the referendum have also been circulating, both on- and offline.</p> <p>What should we be keeping an eye out for, and what are the best methods of dealing with misinformation? <em>Cosmos</em> investigates.</p> <p>“There’s a whole field unto itself on how you classify misinformation,” says Dr Natasha van Antwerpen, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Adelaide.</p> <p>It can vary “from the very blatant, absolute lie, through to something that, even if all the facts are correct, the actual impression that you get is not true”, she says.</p> <p>It’s particularly difficult to see if you’re dealing with statements about the future – such as, ‘a Yes or No vote will cause this thing to happen’.</p> <p>“With prediction, it can be really challenging, because you don’t really have a ground truth to work with,” says van Antwerpen.</p> <p>“Things that you can always look out for tend to be: if it’s a really extreme statement, if there’s no degree of uncertainty in the prediction, and sometimes if it’s very obviously feeding into a politicised narrative, that can be a bit of a red flag.”</p> <p>Acknowledging uncertainty is often a better sign that the information is true, says van Antwerpen, as is checking someone’s citations.</p> <p>“What are the bases that they’re making those predictions on? Have they actually got solid research evidence behind the predictions that they’re making, as opposed to speculation?”</p> <p>While the actions both campaigns want people to take in this referendum are very simple – either vote yes, or no – they rest on a very complicated cultural context.</p> <p>“There’s a lot of things that are feeding into people’s decision making that don’t just come from the campaign, they have extraordinary long legacies in Australia,” says Dr Clare Southerton, a lecturer in digital technology and pedagogy at La Trobe University.</p> <p>“When you’re trying to inform people, they’re always going to be interpreting it through their own lens. And that’s how misinformation is able to circulate so rapidly: people respond to it in emotional ways, because they’re coming to it from their own personal histories.”</p> <p>What’s the best way to deal with misinformation if you do come across it?</p> <p>“I wish there was a simple answer,” says Southerton.</p> <p>“Unfortunately, research shows that at this point there is really no <em>most</em> successful strategy.”</p> <p>That said, there are things that work in different circumstances. Southerton says that on social media, reporting the misinformation is a reliable strategy. “When misinformation is mass-reported, it does get taken down – unfortunately, not usually before many, many eyeballs have seen it.”</p> <p>What about your friend or relative who’s dead-set on a stance you know is factually incorrect? Southerton says that while, once again, there’s no method with strong evidence proving it to be the best, connecting with the person “on an emotional level” often helps change their beliefs.</p> <p>“If you can think about where they might be coming from, and connect with them on that level, that’s going to be the most successful. Because we know that people share misinformation because the position that the misinformation has taken makes them feel good,” says Southerton.</p> <p>Southerton warns against “debunking” by simply telling someone that they’re wrong.</p> <p>“Correcting someone, or fact checking, feels good to us, but often shames the person who’s shared the misinformation and can radicalise them further.”</p> <p>This doesn’t mean you need to legitimise their viewpoint.</p> <p>“Try and think about ways that you can humanise your position to them,” says Southerton.</p> <p>“Ultimately, this is a very emotional time for Aboriginal people in Australia, to have these kinds of debates happening about them in a way that can open up conversation for extreme racism to happen in the public sphere.</p> <p>“So it’s really important that we don’t legitimise that racism. But at the same time, […] what is actually successful, as a way to combat misinformation, is about connecting with people who are sharing it, and seeing what ways we can best reach them.”</p> <p>For people who deal with a lot of misinformation professionally, van Antwerpen says it’s important to choose which myths to debunk – you won’t be able to fight every single false statement.</p> <p>Once chosen, she recommends <a href="https://www.climatechangecommunication.org/debunking-handbook-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Debunking Handbook</em></a> by Stephan Lewandowsky for evidence-based advice on challenging myths.</p> <p>In general, “you want to start with the facts in a very clear way, so you want it to be as concise as possible,” she says.</p> <p>“We used to say ‘never repeat the misinformation’, but that’s changed a bit now. Generally, it’s best to warn that you’re going to say misinformation, and then just say it once.”</p> <p>Then, van Antwerpen says it’s very important to explain why the misinformation is wrong.</p> <p>“Our brains like to have some sort of explanation. If we don’t have something to fill the gap that’s left when we correct the misinformation, it will just go back to the misinformation.”</p> <p>Being conscious of political narratives, without feeding them and getting more polarised, is important too.</p> <p>“When we present these really polarised arguments, people often tend to either polarise or they’ll get apathetic and drop out,” says van Antwerpen.</p> <p>“So if you’re looking at informing people, it’s finding how can you communicate it in a way that’s not encouraging that split.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/behaviour/misinformation-voice-referendum/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian/">Ellen Phiddian</a>. </em></p> </div>

Legal

It was written for nuclear disarmament – but today You’re The Voice is the perfect song for the ‘yes’ campaign

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-tregear-825">Peter Tregear</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p>The serendipity of the pairing between John Farnham’s 1986 hit single You’re the Voice and the Voice to Parliament referendum is obvious, but it goes well beyond the fact the two share the key word “voice”.</p> <p>The original was composed by a team of British songwriters in response to an anti-nuclear demonstration in London’s Hyde Park in 1985. Chris Thompson, Andy Qunta and Maggie Ryder had planned a song-writing session on the day an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/27/world/100000-in-london-protest-arms-race.html">estimated 100,000 marched through central London</a> in support the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.</p> <p>Thompson, however, overslept. As an act of self-admonishment he decided to express his remorse by conceiving a song that emphasised the importance of personal agency in achieving political change.</p> <p>This is the kernel of meaning in You’re the Voice. It is also what makes it so especially well suited to support a campaign about a referendum to give Indigenous Australians a constitutionally recognised Voice to Parliament nearly 40 years later.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">OUR NEW AD IS LIVE!</p> <p>You’re the Voice that will make history.</p> <p>On 14 October, we know we all can stand together with the power to be powerful.<br /><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HistoryIsCalling?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HistoryIsCalling</a>, so <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VoteYes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VoteYes</a>. Are you in? John Farnham is.<br /><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UluruStatement?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UluruStatement</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StayTrue2Uluru?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StayTrue2Uluru</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YoureTheVoice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YoureTheVoice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VoteYes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VoteYes</a> <a href="https://t.co/4ujYd9gk0M">pic.twitter.com/4ujYd9gk0M</a></p> <p>— ulurustatement (@ulurustatement) <a href="https://twitter.com/ulurustatement/status/1698260272165875951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <h2>The grain of Farnham’s voice</h2> <p>Thompson was not at all convinced at the time Farnham <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/why-john-farnham-was-nearly-rockblocked-from-youre-the-voice/news-story/9e048f2d4550a8b4c1a28e2eba4909f6">could do the song justice</a> when he requested it for inclusion in his album Whispering Jack.</p> <p>And yet the particular qualities of Farnham’s singing is also arguably crucial to the song’s success, then and now.</p> <p>The music’s combination of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentimental_ballad#Power_ballads">power ballad</a> tempo with <a href="https://music.amazon.com.au/playlists/B078H6J6BF">pub anthem</a> singability calls for a kind of full-throated vocal performance that takes more than a little inspiration from African American gospel traditions.</p> <p>Singers drawn from these traditions include giants of popular musical culture like James Brown, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin. It is not exaggerated praise to suggest Farnham here delivers a performance that stands with their best.</p> <p>And it was career changing for him, helping Farnham to put to rest his earlier image as a clean-cut purveyor of sentimental pop songs like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0c55lXRAeg">Sadie the Cleaning Lady</a> and relaunch his career.</p> <p>Farnham’s singing here exemplifies what Roland Barthes famously described in <a href="https://courses.lsa.umich.edu/jptw/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2017/08/Barthes-ImageMusicText.pdf">an essay from 1972</a> as the “grain of the voice”: the element of a singer’s individuality which helps convey the sincerity and authenticity of what is being sung.</p> <p>You’re the Voice further highlights the grain of Farnham’s singing via the exclamation “oh, whoa!” regularly punctuating the song’s chorus. In a powerful moment of sonic symbolism, the exclamation is eventually taken up in the advertisement (like the sentiment of the song itself, it is no doubt hoped) by a chorus of supporters.</p> <h2><em>You</em> are the voice</h2> <p>Indeed, if it is to succeed, the referendum will need to convince an especially broad coalition of Australians to vote for “yes”.</p> <p>The song supports this goal from its very title: <em>you</em> are the voice. It asks each of us, individually, to consider how we can act for the common good.</p> <blockquote> <p>We have the chance to turn the pages over <br />We can write what we want to write <br />We gotta make ends meet, before we get much older.</p> </blockquote> <p>The song’s explicit call to action has now been connected to the forthcoming referendum: now is the moment to use your voice at the ballot box to give, in turn, a constitutionally enshrined voice to indigenous Australians.</p> <p>The “yes” campaign’s appeal to collective responsibility is one aspect of the referendum process that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/16/lidia-thorpe-calls-for-referendum-called-off-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-no-campaign">concerns some Indigenous critics</a>. The very enterprise of constitutional reform, after all, presumes the legitimacy of the Australian constitution which in turn presumes the legitimacy of the original act of colonial dispossession.</p> <p>But the bigger threat to the “yes” campaign arguably comes from those who see the idea of an <a href="https://ipa.org.au/ipa-today/the-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-has-the-potential-to-be-divisive">Indigenous voice to parliament itself as divisive</a>.</p> <p>Yet, as the song goes:</p> <blockquote> <p>This time, we know we all can stand together <br />With the power to be powerful <br />Believing we can make it better.</p> </blockquote> <p>The use of You’re the Voice here reinforces the view that supporting the Voice to Parliament is a positive act of national reconciliation that we, as a nation, can take together.</p> <p>It is an injunction to take personal and collective responsibility for the history and character of the country we all share.</p> <h2>Politically inclusive</h2> <p>The advertisement is the work of Mark Green of <a href="https://themonkeys.com.au/">The Monkeys advertising agency</a> and historian <a href="https://www.clarewright.com.au/">Clare Wright</a>.</p> <p>It focuses on a family as they watch key moments which shaped Australia’s collective identity. It looks at key moments of reconciliation, Indigenous achievement and Indigenous protest; but also broader moments in collective action.</p> <p>In a particularly astute move, the advertisement overlays images of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jan/01/john-howard-port-arthur-gun-control-1996-cabinet-papers">John Howard’s 1996 gun reforms</a> in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre as Farnham delivers the lines:</p> <blockquote> <p>We’re all someone’s daughter<br />We’re all someone’s son<br />How long can we look at each other<br />Down the barrel of a gun?</p> </blockquote> <p>Implicit in this conjunction is a reminder to us that support for the “yes” vote, like any nation-changing political act, can come from any side of politics.</p> <h2>Democratising the message</h2> <p>There are many more layers we could tease apart in You’re The Voice. Its extended bagpipes solo originated as an homage to AC/DC singer Bon Scott, connecting it to the egalitarian, <a href="https://www.popmatters.com/141796-let-there-be-rock-2496022409.html">working class culture</a> Scott’s music addresses.</p> <p>Then there is the way the bagpipes, combined with the song’s use of side-drum rhythmic patterns, evoke the sound world of a military tattoo or march. This simultaneously elevates the register of its message. The song – and now the ad – is an implicit call to arms.</p> <p>The inclusion of You’re the Voice in the “yes” campaign thus provides powerful support for its central message.</p> <p>Farnham himself recognises this. Upon release of the advertisement, Farnham <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/john-farnham-backs-voice-permits-his-anthem-to-front-yes-campaign-ad-20230901-p5e18t.html">spoke about</a> how, when it was first released in 1986, the song “changed his life”.</p> <p>Generously, he concluded: "I can only hope that now it might help in some small way, to change the lives of our First Nations Peoples for the better."</p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-tregear-825">Peter Tregear</a>, Principal Fellow and Professor of Music, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/it-was-written-for-nuclear-disarmament-but-today-youre-the-voice-is-the-perfect-song-for-the-yes-campaign-212769">original article</a>.</em></p>

Music

Ally Langdon goes head-to-head with Albo over the Voice to Parliament

<p dir="ltr">Ally Langdon has grilled Anthony Albanese over the Voice to Parliament, after the Prime Minister announced the vote would take place on October 14th. </p> <p dir="ltr">The PM appeared on <em>A Current Affair</em> for the fiery interview, in which Langdon asked for clarification on what the Voice would mean for everyday Aussies if it was voted in. </p> <p dir="ltr">Langdon accused Albo and the Yes campaign for their “wishy-washy” messaging, while arguing that “people don’t understand” what would change if a Voice was appointed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Albanese said it will give Indigenous Australians an opportunity to be heard on important matters, because up until this point they "quite clearly" haven't been listened to enough.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cwj_d0msmPp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cwj_d0msmPp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by A Current Affair (@acurrentaffair9)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"We know that when programs have involved Indigenous Australians … the programs that have been the most successful in overcoming disadvantage have been ones that have had that ownership; have come from the bottom up listening to Indigenous Australians," he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"(The Voice) is aimed at closing the gap on health and education and housing," Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The prime minister said First Nations Australians will be the ones to elect a representative and that the Voice to Parliament is important because it's an opportunity for the current generation to make a change.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This will not impact most Australians directly, but it might just make life better for the three per cent of Australians who happen to be the most disadvantaged group - the First Nations people," he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I think it will be a moment where we can show respect to them; where we can feel better about ourselves as well as a nation and where the world can look at us and say 'Australia is a mature, grown-up nation'."</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite Albo’s diplomatic answers, Langdon’s line of questioning caused a stir with viewers, as many took to X - formerly known as Twitter, to share their brief that Ally’s questions skewed toward giving weight to the No campaign.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Genuinely offended by Ally Langdon’s utter ignorance of the Voice referendum and diminishing herself to a mere mouthpiece for the No vote’s disinformation. <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlboMP</a> was patient and clear. Wasn’t a balanced interview.</p> <p>Not good enough <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACurrentAffair9</a>.</p> <p>— Howie Jakeway (@howierj) <a href="https://twitter.com/howierj/status/1696846355774513358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ally Langdon is really trying to absolutely tear the Referendum down right now <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACurrentAffair9</a>. Disgraceful. Absolutely so one sided questioning. </p> <p>Australia severely lacks middle of the road media coverage.</p> <p>— PiesMag (@PiesMag) <a href="https://twitter.com/PiesMag/status/1696813546364088546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ally Langdon clearly voting no for the voice to parliament. Constantly cutting off the Prime Minister, aggressive interview, utterly ignorant and badgering. What Is she so angry about and why is she on her high horse with the man who runs the country? <a href="https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@9newsqueensland</a>…</p> <p>— GirlScoutCookies (@Girlscout_cuki) <a href="https://twitter.com/Girlscout_cuki/status/1696816812896477505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Despite the online opposition for the interview, many came out in support of Langdon’s questioning, saying she asked exactly the right questions to clarify the purpose of the Voice, and how it would be put into practice. </p> <p dir="ltr">Nine’s Director of News and Current Affairs, Darren Wick, backed Langdon, telling <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/allison-langdons-a-current-affair-interview-with-anthony-albanese-divides-viewers/news-story/19875cc1d9668b845ac019efc116a737" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>, “Ally did an excellent and professional job by asking the questions that the majority of Australians have long wanted answered.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

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Escape to the Country host dies aged 50

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Sam Newman encourages Aussies to boo during Welcome to Country

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Travel

Health

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Compare

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Keep up to date

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Escape to the Country host dies aged 50

Osher Günsberg slammed for "insulting Australians" over Voice defeat

"Soulless": Stan Grant finally breaks silence over Voice defeat

"Devastating blow": Back to the Future star's tragic family news

Waleed Aly and Steve Price clash over damning Voice letter

Explainer: Australia has voted against an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Here’s what happened

"A mean country": Stan Grant shares his thoughts on the Voice referendum

Coming to terms with the past is more important than ever. The Voice referendum is a vital first step

Kyle and Jackie O reveal their stance on the Voice

Ray Martin's scathing Voice to Parliament speech

Sam Newman backs down on controversial Grand Final plans

7 ways to look after yourself and your community before and after the Voice referendum

No, the Voice proposal will not be ‘legally risky’. This misunderstands how constitutions work

The ‘yes’ Voice campaign is far outspending ‘no’ in online advertising, but is the message getting through?

Sam Newman encourages Aussies to boo during Welcome to Country

Cathy Freeman reveals her stance on the Voice

No, the Voice to Parliament would not force people to give up their private land

Misinformation and the Voice: how can you spot and defuse false claims?

It was written for nuclear disarmament – but today You’re The Voice is the perfect song for the ‘yes’ campaign

Ally Langdon goes head-to-head with Albo over the Voice to Parliament

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