To be shocked that Australia voted NO on this referendum?

[koalaknickers]

"The Voice to Parliament was proposed in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a 2017 document crafted by Indigenous leaders that set out a roadmap for reconciliation with wider Australia.

Australia's Indigenous citizens, who make up 3.8% of the country's 26 million population, have inhabited the land for about 60,000 years but are not mentioned in the constitution and are, by most socio-economic measures, the most disadvantaged people in the country."

Australia rejects Indigenous referendum in setback for reconciliation (msn.com)

I have family out there. I just assumed that they would have voted YES. I hope they did. Perhaps I should ask them.

No, I’m not shocked by the result.

This isn’t the first time an issue championed by progressive metropolitan liberals has been rejected by the overwhelming majority of ordinary people who live work & think outside the ‘woke’ bubble, and it won’t be the last.

I don't know many Australians but all of them have talked about the indigenous community with such a hate that I'm not surprised at all

...and the reason we have free speech is so I can share my opinion!

@Teddleshon although this particular incident was definitely not meant as humour, misplaced or otherwise. Having the piss taken out of me is absolutely fine!

Fuck some of you are rude and condescending.

The basic question in the referendum was double-barrelled- which is absolutely ridiculous to put into a referendum.

Many Australians absolutely want First Nations Peoples acknowledged and respected in the constitution BECAUSE THEY AREN’T RACIST.

It was the second part - enshrining a Voice to Parliament in the constitution, and without detail, definition or transparency, that resulted in many people voting no.

Perhaps it is viewed differently elsewhere, but changing the constitution is a fucking big deal, and there was no reason for the Voice to be embedded into our constitution when it could have been legislated.

One state is already introducing their own version of the Voice to Parliament, and everyone I know hopes it is a success, and a springboard for similar to be introduced throughout Australia and at all levels.

Although it may not fit the narrative that “Australia is so completely racist and we are so superior” that is being posted here, most Australian people detest racism and want First Nations Peoples to be empowered, celebrated and actually have the ‘gap’ closed and the funding/money that is needed directed into achieving the results the communities themselves determine is required.

This is exactly what my parents who live in Australia (one who voted yes and one who voted no say) and agree on.

Added to the fact that the yes campaign received tax breaks and funding to the tune of millions and the no campaign did not, despite electoral laws. Including the yes campaign getting free flights all around the country to campaign. Added also to the fact that the Government REFUSED to say what yes would mean.... when ever they were asked it was all 'just leave the details to us you bigots'.

The feeling as I understand it was that the metropolitan elite were treating the electorate with crushing disrespect and so the feeling was that if the 'Government does not want to explain what this means then what are they hiding?'.

Deeply racist country. Would not want my kids raised there.

In Australia? Where? When?

I was saddened by the vote but sadly not shocked.
I have spent a lot of time in Australia and found it to be very racist in general.
I find it amazing the language used against the Indigenous People and new immigrants. The worst are the children of the 'Ten Piound Poms'
It was one of the main reasons we decided not to stay despite the better work life balance..

Thanks for posting that. It gives somewhat balanced reasoning. I learnt a lot about the situation from that.

I am watching this now. Thank you.

Yes - this!

Underestimating people gets you nowhere in a referendum

I agree with pp it was a big deal, enough to be a referendum

I have a view that Australia is more racist than the UK. My grandmother was Anglo Indian. As with racially mixed people there was a range of browner to lighter amongst her siblings. The 'whiter' ones were able to emigrate to Australia (2 out of 6) but my grandmother was at the browner end and rejected. It was nothing to do with qualifications. She was a qualified teacher and her sister had no qualifications. They seemed to value skin colour over education. I'm not sure if they told her the reason or if she guessed it but she was a lot darker.

Yes, it was a long time ago (the 1950s!) but it shows the UK were more progressive then, which is saying something, and I'm afraid it's left an impression on me regarding Australia so many years later.

$450 million the Referendum has cost.

The Australia I grew up in during the 80's & 90's was supremely racist, sexist and homophobic. I won't repeat the slurs here, but they abounded for anyone Aboriginal, European, Asian, homosexual...
I don't believe much has changed, but people are perhaps more careful to hide their prejudices in public & immigration has continued to bring more diversity to the local population.
Money spent on the referendum would have been better spent directly on supporting Aboriginal communities. The referendum was a cynical exercise to give the appearance of fairness and inclusivity.

I was there 20 years ago and visited Sydney and Perth and did not see one indigenous person my whole time there.

Umm... ok? What's your point?
Also... what does an Indigenous Australian look like? Seems you're doing a bit of racist stereotyping there yourself.

I can believe it.

Whilst I think that recognising First Nation status and rights is important in any country, the way in which First Nations across the world are treated goes a long way to explaining why you couldn't expect a bunch of "immigrants" to respect either.

This. Having lived there for a number of years I left deeply disappointed with the level of racism, sexism and misogyny that went on.

Not sure it's correct that Australians are racist in their entirety. My experience in watching many Eng v Australian cricket matches and vice versa is that Australians' banter could be interpreted as hostile when it's meant to be hard banter/sledging. The English respond with their own banter. I'm not meaning to simplify the matter.

Upon further reading, I don't think the results of this vote are clear cut.

Well that let's the UK, off the hook for all of 5 minutes. Oh the drama.

I'm surprised that you are surprised.

I'm pretty sure if you held a referendum in the U.K. about recognition of slavery and reparations you would get a similar rejection.

Warm words are free.

I’m stunned that people are stunned by the result. It was very predictable. I can only think that Albanese was surrounded by advisors pushing for the Voice and didn’t hear arguments against it.

As the campaign was run, it was destined to fail.

In addition to points other posters have made about the poorly worded question, the lousy campaigning, the demands of the black sovereignty movement which contradicted themselves, mandatory voting etc…

Approximately 30% of Australian voters were born overseas. 3.5% are of Aboriginal descent. There are many races in Australia. There is also a lot of racism in Australia, not all of which is directed at Aboriginals. But saying a no vote is racist is ridiculous.

But I think the key thing was withholding the detail of the voice. How would it’s members be elected? One per mob, or per mob population? Indigenous people are not uniform in their needs. Aboriginals in Redfern (Sydney) live very differently to those in Tenant Creek. What works for one group doesn’t work for another,

I could go on but I really can’t be bothered now.

I am not sure people know how referenda work in Australia. You have to get a majority of votes in a majority of states. Plus a national majority of voters. So referenda are notoriously difficult to 'win'. There have been 45 referenda since federation and only 8 have been 'won'.

Painting 'Australia and Australians are racist racist RACIST!!!!'' is a bit of a massive and offensive generalisation one would think. Not sure the proof of a Neighbours episode really cuts as studied research either.

That’s a lot of money.
Which budget did it come from?

Reminds me of the Republic referendum in 1999, but that was far closer.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Australian_republic_referendum