Voice to parliament referendum fails in defeat that Indigenous advocates will see as a blow to progress towards reconciliation

Australians have resoundingly rejected a proposal to recognise Aboriginal people in its constitution and establish a body to advise parliament on Indigenous issues.

Saturday’s voice to parliament referendum failed, with the defeat clear shortly after polls closed.

  • zik@zorg.socialEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    The weight of the media was against them from day 1. It doesn’t really matter what your messaging is if it doesn’t get reported. What did get reported was whatever Murdoch’s news media wanted to be reported, and if they reported the “yes” side only in terms of weak points then that’s what people think the “yes” side had to say.

    • Wooki@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      ABC ran non stop opinion pieces and articles on the yes vote. None stop from before the referendum was announced. The guardian same game. Early on the no campaign had no idea where or how they were going to oppose the vote. They just knew they were.

      So no I kindly disagree the yes campaign can’t cry fowl here the no campaign didn’t find its feet until the last maybe week or two.

      • zik@zorg.socialEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        I guess it depends which media you use. My mother watches channel 7 mostly and she seemed puzzled as to why anyone would vote yes. “Apparently even the Aboriginals don’t want it.” And this was a few weeks ago. I think the mainstream media’s been pushing “no” pretty hard throughout.

        • Wooki@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 year ago

          The only garbage I really found that I thought could swing voters was on TikTok, the “if you don’t vote yes; you’re a racist”. Effective.