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Indigenous leaders break their silence, call referendum defeat 'appalling and mean-spirited' (www.abc.net.au)

submitted 11 months ago by unionagainstdhmo@aussie.zone to c/australianpolitics@aussie.zone

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[-] pirrrrrrrr@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I hear Gina Reinhardt and her mining buddies are quite happy there isn't an Aboriginal advisor that could cause problems with digging up sacred sites and blowing up ancient art.

[-] PoliticalAgitator@lemm.ee 8 points 11 months ago

Then they should leave a 5-star review of the sleazy marketing companies they hired with no offices at their registered address.

[-] Ilandar@aussie.zone 19 points 11 months ago

Many of those leaders would have worked for years with the Coalition to get them onside for this referendum. It was a massive betrayal of trust.

[-] No1@aussie.zone 13 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

"Indigenous leaders break their silence..."

Mmmmm. Perhaps the time for leadership and not being silent was before there was a vote ...

[-] Nonameuser678@aussie.zone 26 points 11 months ago

In their defence the moment an Indigenous leader engages in anything other than peace, love, and harmony rhetoric they are treated as an 'angry black' and taken less seriously. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't type situation.

[-] No1@aussie.zone 9 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Yeah, you're right. It's easy for me to type it on a keyboard, and totally different living it.

I'm half frustrated and half in despair that I just can't see a way forward. With the way the Voice campaign went, my god, just imagining the level of FUD around a treaty hurts.

[-] Nonameuser678@aussie.zone 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Honestly I'm a pretty cynical person but even I overestimated how ready Australia was to discuss these issues. Misinformation certainly played a role in how things played out but I can't help but think there wasn't already quite fertile ground within our culture for it to grow. I personally think if people couldn't really get behind the voice then treaty is going to be very tough.

[-] unionagainstdhmo@aussie.zone 9 points 11 months ago

Yeah - they're all calling out the coalition now, but they should've done that before. Maybe they hoped that the coalition might change their minds

[-] billytheid@aussie.zone 2 points 11 months ago

considering the death threats they and their families faced from Australians, I don't blame them for keeping a low profile.

[-] Designate6361@beehaw.org 7 points 11 months ago

It is unclear who signed the letter but the ABC understands some Aboriginal leaders had distanced themselves from an earlier draft of the statement, and did not want their names associated with it.

Seems like a lot of anger in the community that they are no longer waiting for leadership and there true feelings are being posted.

[-] Nonameuser678@aussie.zone 7 points 11 months ago

Here's a link to the actual letter: https://ugc.production.linktr.ee/2e09849a-25e6-4743-8317-e33dfb437728_Statement-for-our-People-and-Country.pdf

[-] autotldr 2 points 11 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Indigenous leaders who supported the Yes case at last week’s Voice referendum have written to the prime minister saying the No vote was a “shameful victory”.

A week ago, more than 60 per cent of Australians rejected reforming the constitution to create a new Indigenous Voice, which would have advised the parliament on First Nations affairs.

The statement says it is made up of "collective insights and views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, community members and organisations who supported the Yes campaign."

The Indigenous leaders who endorsed the letter attributed the historic referendum loss to a lack of bipartisanship, as well as "lies in political advertisement and communication" and racism.

The Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, told NITV this week that she would conduct further consultations with First Nations people "about next steps".

The letter sent to the prime minister said some leaders now want an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice established without constitutional change or legislation.

The original article contains 497 words, the summary contains 161 words. Saved 68%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[-] stifle867@programming.dev 7 points 11 months ago

some leaders now want an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice established without constitutional change or legislation

What does this mean? I thought one of the campaign points was that due to being included in the constitution it couldn't be dismantled like it has time and time again previously. Wouldn't this just be more of the same?

As disappointing as it is I really don't see a way forward after losing a popular vote.

[-] Gorgritch_umie_killa@aussie.zone 7 points 11 months ago

For the pollies, i reckon you're right, there is no clear way forward. I think it'll be on the States to take a leading role.

I heard during the week, the problem with a referendum is its a blunt yes/no answer. So we'll never really know what people were actually saying no to. Focus groups and surveys will only get us so far. Makes it hard to know where to go next.

[-] stifle867@programming.dev 3 points 11 months ago

Exactly, and when the question posed was open to so much interpretation everyone has their own idea of what they voted yes/no for. It wasn't like the "gay marriage yes or no" referendum that was clearly understood by most people. Such a mistake to call it "the voice". Isn't that a TV show?

[-] DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com 6 points 11 months ago

the “gay marriage yes or no” referendum

Small nitpick: it was a plebiscite - not a referendum. Our marriage laws aren't contained in the Constitution, so a referendum wasn't required.

[-] stifle867@programming.dev 4 points 11 months ago

Didn't even realise that, thank you.

[-] DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com 2 points 11 months ago

With the sheer volume of political nonsense surrounding the question at the time, it sure felt like a referendum!

[-] Gorgritch_umie_killa@aussie.zone 3 points 11 months ago

Haha, it was a mistake to call it the Voice. I'm waiting for the Got Talent commission to get going.

Unfortunately the nature of the constitution meaned that it needed to be a bit vague. But that was always one of its strengths. Over time, as life changes, the nation isn't codified into too strict a system. The Voice reflected that essence very well.

[-] unionagainstdhmo@aussie.zone 4 points 11 months ago

They could create an organisation which represents all First Nations Peoples through a series of treaties and just make loud public statements. By being a representation of all First Nations Peoples their opinions would carry some weight.

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