Yes to the Voice

My Yes for a Voice to Parliament

  • Indigenous MPs and Senators have their own jobs to do

    Indigenous MPs and Senators have their own jobs to do

    “We already have Indigenous politicians!” This is a common talking point from No voters. They say that Indigenous people make up 3.3% of our population, but have 4.8% of our Federal politicians. And that’s true, but it’s not relevant for whether or not we have a Voice. We have a growing number of Indigenous people…

  • Links from this week 4

    Links from this week 4

    After last week’s drama with Senator Jacinta Price and Professor Marcia Langton, this week was relatively quiet on the referendum front. Except that No rallies around the country were joined by Nazi groups (video on TikTok), which is pretty appalling. An article about the rallies more generally from the ABC: No voters hold unofficial rallies…

  • Is the Voice “divisive”?

    Is the Voice “divisive”?

    Well yeah, obviously, because it’s causing a lot of arguments. But what do we mean when we call something “divisive”? So many people who oppose the Voice say it’s because it’s divisive, or that it will create division when we should all be Australian. The definition of “divisive” is “causing a lot of disagreement which…

  • No campaigners keep getting caught lying

    No campaigners keep getting caught lying

    The conservative No campaign, that is, not the progressive No voters. If they had a good reason for you to vote No, just one, then they wouldn’t need to lie. Because it only takes one good reason to justify your vote. Let’s take a look at what we’ve seen from them so far: I’m sure…

  • Will the Voice make a difference?

    Will the Voice make a difference?

    I’m a bit annoyed at the moment. The No voters are spreading a lot of fear about how awful the Voice would be. And some Yes campaigners (including the Labor party) are responding to this by saying how little the Voice will be able to do. Like “don’t worry, it’s just a powerless advisory board”.…

  • Links from this week 3

    Links from this week 3

    So what’s new this week? Supporters for Indigenous Voice to Parliament gather for rallies across Australia (ABC News) Warren Mundine, a prominent No campaigner, says he’d apply to be on the Voice if it is created (news.com.au). Personally, I think he’s the kind of guy who takes whatever power is on offer, so this doesn’t…

  • Will the Voice add race to the Constitution? part 2

    Will the Voice add race to the Constitution? part 2

    Last week I wrote about why I don’t think the Voice will be adding any rights or duties based on race: because it’s actually based on who was here first. Some people can only think of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in terms of their race, and that’s sad. But it’s not what’s happening with…

  • Links from this week 2

    Links from this week 2

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said maybe if the No vote succeeded in the referendum, he’d hold another better one if/when he becomes PM. This idea went down like a lead balloon. Indigenous leaders have already rejected the Coalition’s version of constitutional recognition, before the Voice proposal was even made. So next he suggested that Albanese…

  • Will the Voice add race to the Constitution? Part 1

    Will the Voice add race to the Constitution? Part 1

    If The Voice created a division between Australians of different races, that would be a bad thing. Luckily, there’s two reasons it doesn’t actually do that. The Voice does give one group of people an additional role in the way Australia is governed. It gives that additional duty to the First Peoples of this land.…

  • Do Indigenous people want The Voice?

    Do Indigenous people want The Voice?

    You already know the answer can’t be as simple as Yes or No, right? There’s 80% support, so that means there’s 20% who don’t support it.