this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2023
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[–] [email protected] 55 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Fuck. I’m sad. I’m sorry to be Australian right now.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago (42 children)

Yeah - the voice didn't really mean much to my day to day at all, but this loss is indicative of our deepening conservative bent.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

With any luck it would have meant something to mine. I'm devastated.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Genuinely sorry for your loss.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Thanks, sadly I've learned a lot about my country and my local areas in how they've polled

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

One of the most stagnant democracies in the west.

We'd rather spend time talking about franking credits than lend an ear to the suffering.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Some of the people receiving the franking credits believe they’re suffering… somehow.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is quite different to a federal election, where there are so many interesting and new talking points that come out of the results analysis - even if a landslide is predicted beforehand. Tonight it just feels like a immediate confirmation of what we've already known for months, and there is no discussion to be had beyond the same talking points that have been debated ad-nauseam throughout the entire campaign. Without an indication of anything further resulting from this referendum, the whole exercise just feels like a complete dead end.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Yeah, I hear you. With an election the country is choosing between two different paths. In this case we're either choosing progress or... not.

One of Dutton's talking points over the last few weeks was that he would propose some alternatives after the referendum. I imagine that will be part of the forthcoming "Albo is out of touch" campaign.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A lot of the commentary I have seen online from non-Indigenous voters, even those who voted yes, is that the government needs to get back to matters of real concern (according to these people). Sadly it seems there is a very real danger of this being the end of mainstream Australia's interest in Indigenous affairs for the foreseeable future.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Yeah. Forgive me for saying so but this outcome is more or less a mandate to not do anything.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

There's nothing to forgive, I think that is the reality we are facing. We are still very much in this history wars era where we would rather remain willfully ignorant of our past than confront it and move forward as a modern nation. Australia is stuck in the dark ages when it comes to recognition of its Indigenous peoples and it's embarrassing. Not just because we're so far behind other former colonies, but because we don't seem to think there's anything wrong with that.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I feel like anyone who seriously thought a No vote would lead to a better outcome are going to be disappointed when indigenous rights are not revisited until 2050.

More importantly, Dutton or other LNP government can use this result to justify cuts to funding and whatnot.

Awful time to be an Australian. How utterly embarrassing.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Did anyone really deep down think that "no" was a better outcome for the indigenous tough?

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

im sad for those that is would have actually mattered, its a shame the 'tyranny of majority' can decide things that apply to minorities. I refuse to go to any cooker pages tonight, no doubt there will be a lot of gloating

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Albanese's defeat speach fell flat and was weak. Just more dithering and deflection. For a self proclaimed conviction politician he sure can't muster any fire in his rhetoric.

Dutton's speach was solid, hit all the talking points and will likely see an approval rating rise. Yet it was full of lies, promises of action on housing and cost of living issues which his government created. Promises to improve defence which rotted under Liberal leadership.

Promises for funds to communities in need, the same communities the Liberals stripped $500 million in funding from.

I was happy to hear a journalist call out Dutton's claim that an audit into where the money is spent, as Liberals were in power for a long time and should know exactly where it went!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Imagine if Albo had decided to make his PM's legacy in to being the one that started fixing wealth inequality and the housing crisis. Instead economically they are sticking with the shit-party-lite approach. Housing being pushed further out of reach for those without due to added demand.

His failure to read the room on the voice will mean his legacy is this failed referendum and fact that it poured more fuel on the division fire.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (8 children)

So disappointing that the government spent hundreds of millions of dollars on this referendum only for the majority of people to vote no (well if the ABC have called it right). I'm interested in seeing what the government does next.

Why the fuck do mining companies get a voice in parliament but the oldest living culture in Australia does not?!

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

The money was actually well spent because the will of Australian electors was ratified. It's a snarky point yes, but one worth making.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think if they passed the legislation first as a trial and then if it went well put it through a referendum there would be more support.

I'm not saying he would but he could just force it through legislation now, with the greens support and independents support, Pocock is in ACT who was the only place to vote yes, I think they have enough to pass.

Sure it will go against the results of the referendum, or "the will of the people" but it will be a legal way to do it. I think if it went through legislation it would become like GST, deeply unpopular at the time but it just becomes fait accompli and noone would dare reverse it. Because once in noone wants the optics of being "the racist in the parliament" besides maybe ONP.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (9 children)

I think if it went through legislation it would become like GST, deeply unpopular at the time but it just becomes fait accompli and noone would dare reverse it.

Legislated Indigenous advisory bodies have been dismantled on 11 occasions already.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Legislation first would have been the winner for the Yes campaign. Their weakness was in the lack of detail. As soon as they launched “If you don’t know, vote No” It was sunk.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

Of to a very "no" leaning start.

If it's a "no" outcome I'm gonna have to avoid any Australia related news. Couldn't bare to see Dutton congratulating himself.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Passing referendums is very difficult in Australia. People are easily scared away from change with emotional arguments unless there is a very clear message and benefit and I think the voice proposal was lacking. The only reason I voted Yes was to show solidarity with indigenous Australians and to oppose some of the ugly characters and lies coming from the No campaign. Try as I could reading the Uluru statement and other supporting arguments I couldn't get excited about it and I can understand why people on the fence would reject constitutional change.

The government should put as much as they can into legislation and be satisfied and I think we should move on.

Unfortunately I think this result has huge lessons for the republican cause. I suspect there won't be a republican referendum this decade now.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I think as long as Chuck or his sons don't come over here expecting some big royal event, there is no real impulse for change our system of government.

A key difference in the campaigns would be the fact that the Voice referendum didn't include the element 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. Everybody agrees theres a gap between First Nations people and the rest of Aus, (We don't agree on the cause). A Rebublican proposal is trying to change a system that, when comparing to other systems around the world, is working quite well.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (4 children)

ABC just called it as defeated, all over before WA even got to start counting...

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (3 children)

People always say their vote doesn't matter, but in this case they are quite literally right.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Antony Green was calling 2 states No at 7:01pm AEDT, and that meant only 1 more No state was required.

He called SA as No at 7:24pm. Not even close....

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

ABC has live results here, the percentage counted is rising pretty quickly.

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