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Straya


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  • 3 months later...

The Voice......no not the TV Show for aspiring performers.

This weekend we have a referendum vote on writing into our constitution a Voice to Parliament for indigenous Australians and it has become a complete and utter no idea situation. Problem being nobody can explain it in clear and simple terms for the average punter to wrap their head around.

Personally I have no idea what I will do given it's a simple Yes or No vote. You would think it pretty simple but every group with an agenda has railroaded what should have been a simple process. Even the Indigenous community are divided 😳

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It's actually pretty simple 

 

Yes they haven't done a great job of explaining it

 

Referendum question

On 19 June 2023, Parliament agreed the constitutional amendment and question would be as follows:

 

 

Referendum question

On referendum day, voters will be asked to vote 'yes' or 'no' on a single question. The question on the ballot paper will be:

“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

Constitutional amendment

The proposed law that Australians are being asked to approve at the referendum would insert the following lines into the Constitution:

“Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

  1. there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
  2. the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
  3. the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.”
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The question and the proposal I agree is simple but the implications of the question is what I am referring to.

It just sound a bit like 1967 which once was quoted "They promised us the world and gave us an atlas!’

I just get the feeling the "Yes" vote is a watered down version of what the "No" voters want. :dunno:

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I've a cousin - Lawyer - whose career, has been representing 1st peoples in Aus.

I was surprised to learn that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were only granted Australian citizenship in 1948 and voting rights federally in 1962, and in 1965.

Given that white fellas could vote in one form or other since the mid 19th century and the Constitution was made in 1901, it's a small wonder that Ockers have a reputation for racism.

https://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/25/theme1-voting-history.htm

On the Voice vote, people should embrace change, when I was a teen, having a department of Women's affairs in NZ was thought highly unnecessary - by the males.

Hasn't been so bad...

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Torres Strait Islanders

I was once approached by a couple of lasses in a bar in Auckland, one Blonde and one 1st people Strayan, the non blonde said," If you can tell me where I'm from, I'll buy you a drink, if not, you buy us a drink".

I looked at her for a while and said "Torres Strait Islands". They both dropped their Jaws on the floor.

I had hoped for a further conversation and an evening spent with the lasses, as they were both quite attractive, but my accurate guess, had them nervous and they eventually ran away.

The reason I'd known, was that I had, in my childhood watched numerous wild life doccos from a husband and wife team of Australian film makers, Ron and Valerie Taylor, who specialised in Australian sea life, Saltwater Crocodiles, Dugongs, Sharks and Turtles and such. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Taylor_(diver)

A lot of their work was up the Torres Strait way and the people were often in the films. So I recognised their look.

 

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