INDIGENOUS PEOPLES – AUSTRALIA

Voice verdict might not be clear on the night

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 22-Sep-23

The Australian Electoral Commission has so far received nearly 1.2 million applications for postal votes in the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to parliament. This includes voters who are registered to receive a postal vote automatically. AEC commissioner Tom Rogers says the high number of postal votes could mean that the nation may have to wait for several days after 14 October to know the outcome of the referendum. The AEC will also open more than 500 early voting centres nationwide from early October for people who cannot attend a polling place on referendum day.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Yes campaign not separatism

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paige Taylor, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 20-Sep-23

Indigenous leader Noel Pearson has rejected claims that the proposed Voice to parliament is about separatism. He argues that the ‘Yes’ campaign is about "bringing the country together" so that First Nations people can have their own identity, culture and languages while still taking their place in Australian society. Pearson added that Indigenous people will have a "special but not separate place in Australia" if the Voice referendum is passed, echoing the words of former prime minister John Howard in a speech on constitutional recognition in 2007. Pearson also emphasised that there will be no return to a policy of assimilation for Indigenous Australians.

CORPORATES

‘Base racism’: Yes leader in no-holds-barred call

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rosie Lewis, Joe Kelly, Sarah Ison, Paige Taylor
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Sep-23

Voice advocate Professor Marcia Langton has rejected claims that she accused No voters of racism in a speech in Bunbury on Sunday. Professor Langton said in her speech that if you start pulling apart the No case’s arguments, it either gets down to base racism or sheer stupidity. However, she stresses that she does not believe that the majority of Australians are racist, and contends that No campaigners are using racist tactics. Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has called for both sides of the debate on an Indigenous Voice to parliament to "act respectfully and with care for their fellow Australians".

CORPORATES

Liberals accused of dirty tactics over Indigenous voice pamphlet leading voters to site that harvests information

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Tory Shepherd
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 6-Sep-23

The Coalition is under scrutiny over a pamphlet delivered to thousands of homes that directs electors to a website that harvests their personal information. The pamphlet advocating the ‘No’ case in the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to parliament includes a QR code with a link to the postal.vote website, which was also used by the Liberal and National parties during the 2022 election. It invites voters to apply for a postal vote by entering their name and contact details, and states that this will be forwarded to the Liberal and National parties. The site then informs electors that applications for postal votes are not yet available. The Australian Electoral Commission says people should always apply for a postal vote directly through it.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA,AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Howard calls on No supporters to maintain their rage

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paige Taylor
The Australian – Page: 4 : 30-Aug-23

Former prime minister John Howard has reiterated his view that the proposed constitutional amendment to establish an Indigenous Voice to parliament will divide Australia by race. He says the proposal for an Indigenous advisory body goes against what makes people Australian, and notes that former Labor PM Bob Hawke stated in 1988 that the only thing that defines someone as an Australian is their commitment to Australia. Howard hopes the voice is defeated in every state, while he contends that the notion of establishing a treaty with Indigenous people is absurd because treaties are made between sovereign nations.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Voice poll: PM set to name the day

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 23-Aug-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to reveal the date of the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to parliament during a visit to Adelaide next week. The referendum has been widely tipped to be held on 14 October, which would allow for a six-week official campaign. Parliament is scheduled to sit during the first two weeks of September, although Albanese is also slated to visit Indonesia, The Philippines and India during this period. Albanese says Australia will be stronger as a nation if the referendum succeeds, and he stresses that the Voice interfere with the way that the government operates on a day-to-day basis.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

No legislated Voice if vote fails

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Joe Kelly, Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 4 : 16-Aug-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reiterated that enshrining an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the Constitution is a "modest request". He adds that the federal government will not seek to legislate a Voice to parliament if the upcoming referendum is rejected by voters, arguing that Indigenous Australians have not asked for this. Meanwhile, Indigenous leader Warren Mundine has rejected suggestions that the ‘No’ campaign is using the issue of a treaty to wage a scare campaign against the Voice. Mundine opposes the Voice but says he has been a supporter of the treaty process for more than three decades.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Voice ‘won’t fill heritage law void’

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paige Taylor, Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Aug-23

Western Australian Premier Roger Cook has apologised for his government’s ill-fated Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, which will be repealed just five weeks after taking effect. He concedes that the controversial laws had "unintentionally caused stress, confusion and division in the community". Cook adds that the intent of the legislation was to "prevent another Juukan Gorge", but the government had got the balance wrong. WA will revert to the 1972 cultural heritage laws, which will be amended to include provisions such as giving traditional owners the right of appeal. Meanwhile, Indigenous leader Tom Calma says the proposed Voice to parliament will have a federal focus and will not advise on state cultural heritage issues unless a state approaches it for such advice.

CORPORATES
WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

‘Steps to treaty this term’: Labor’s actual agenda

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Sarah Ison, Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 2-Aug-23

The federal government is under growing scrutiny over its policy agenda if the referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament succeeds. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently stated that the voice is not about a treaty with Indigenous Australians. However, Labor’s latest draft national policy platform states that the party supports all elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart – including a Makarrata commission for agreement-making – in the current term of government. An earlier draft did not include any time frame or a specific reference to the Makarrata commission. Opposition leader Peter Dutton says Labor will have to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, given that Albanese has committed to doing so at least 34 times.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Legal expert outraged by out of context inclusion in Voice No pamphlet

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Lisa Visentin
The Age – Page: Online : 19-Jul-23

Constitutional lawyer Greg Craven supports the proposed Indigenous Voice to parliament; however, in comments made earlier in 2023 he was highly critical of the initial draft of the proposed model for the constitutional amendment, describing it as "fatally flawed". Craven is outraged that his words have been quoted in the ‘No’ campaign’s essay for the referendum pamplet, stating that his request to not be included in it had been ignored. Craven intends to make a formal complaint to the Australian Electoral Commission, although the AEC says it is legally required to publish both the Yes and No essays without any changes.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION