298
submitted 1 year ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

With a two-letter word, Australians have struck down the first attempt at constitutional change in 24 years, major media outlets reported, a move experts say will inflict lasting damage on First Nations people and suspend any hopes of modernizing the nation’s founding document.

Early results from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) suggested that most of the country’s 17.6 million registered voters had written No on their ballots, and CNN affiliates 9 News, Sky News and SBS all projected no path forward for the Yes campaign.

The proposal, to recognize Indigenous people in the constitution and create an Indigenous body to advise government on policies that affect them, needed a majority nationally and in four of six states to pass.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] alvvayson@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

No, the European press stated that it was around that number, so no propaganda.

If this was really such a great thing for them, they would vote 90+% in favor and the battle would have been to get the rest of the country over 50%.

For example, New Caledonia voted 96% to remain part of France. That's much better as referenda between an ex-colonial power and indigenous populations go.

Seems to me like some better solution must be found that can find a majority support among all Australians and a level of unanimity among indigenous Australians.

[-] batmangrundies@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

80% indigenous support polled prior to the campaigns starting. After a relentless campaign of misinformation courtesy of Murdoch. The actual number that voted yes was 63%.

In regional Aus, there is a popular, free-to-air, 24/7 Murdoch-run news outlet, Sky News Australia, not to be confused with Sky News. It is right of Fox News, closer to OAN.

[-] vantlem@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

63% voted for it after one of the strongest, most targeted disinformation campaigns that Australia had ever seen. The right-wing parties have made this issue so incredibly divisive and inflammatory. Anecdotally, some Indigenous people, who did not want to be the target of further abuse from racist Australians, were convinced that the Voice would make the abuse even worse because of the ongoing hate and outrage they have experienced during this entire debate. I can understand why they wouldn't want that experience to solidify constitutionally.

[-] TheOriginalGregToo@lemmy.world -3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Sounds to me like you're being rather racist with your assumptions. You're characterizing a group of people as having monolithic values based on a shared heritage. They're individual people with individual beliefs and motivations. You're also suggesting that they're easily coerced, or perhaps simple minded. This too is racist and demeaning.

Edit: Fixing an autocorrected word.

[-] batmangrundies@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

It doesn't matter. 63% support among indigenous folks is still a landslide.

You're not arguing in good faith though. Accusing someone of racism like that. So you can go fuck yourself for all I care.

this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2023
298 points (97.2% liked)

World News

38969 readers
2354 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS