New Australia v old Australia: a yes vote on the voice is a vote for the future | Megan Davis
GuardianJun 18, 2023
Thousands gathered across Australia on Sunday to express support for a campaign to recognize the country's indigenous people in the constitution and to establish an "Indigenous Voice to Parliament" advisory board. The demonstrations come ahead of a referendum later this year.
Yes23, the group that organized more than 25 rallies nationwide, estimates that up to 25K people took to the streets in total, with about 3K assembling in Sydney.
The upcoming referendum is the perfect opportunity for a multicultural, vibrant, and inclusive new Australia to prove that hate against the First Nations of Australia is no longer accepted in the country. Canberra can finally cast out the ghosts of an inglorious nation driven by conservatism and racism, instead enshrining indigenous Australians' right to be heard to government.
The Voice to Parliament is a dangerous proposal that, if passed, will permanently divide the Australian nation on the basis of race. Australians need only look at neighboring countries to understand the risks of approving such advisory body, as New Zealand's Waitangi Tribunal has been swiftly hijacked by social justice activists. There are other ways the government can go about improving rights for indigenous populations before undermining unity in the nation.
If the Australian "Indigenous Voice to Parliament" Referendum is held before 2026, there is a 24% chance that it will pass, according to the Metaculus prediction community.