After many months of bitter debate about the Voice, an address to the National Press Club this week reminds us that we are back at a point where it seems that, no matter what the truth may be, we will not let it lead to any change, writes Laura Tingle.
  • DogMuffins@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    4·
    9 months ago

    As it stands the emboldened and networked hard and far right off the back of a no vote may be a more urgent reason to vote yes than the institution at the heart of the matter.

    This is absolutely, 100%, my position.

    The following is my take which is sure to be deeply unpopular but I’m not here to win friends.

    I don’t care about the voice. It’s not part of my day to day. I don’t regularly interact with a great number of first nations people. Of course I’ll vote yes because it seems like a no brainer but I’m pissed that this has become such a distraction from the real actual problems that I would prefer our government address.

    Australia has been on a trajectory towards the right since Keating left office in 1996. Our centre left party has had precious little opportunity to rebalance us in the last 30 years, we finally get a chance and… we squander it on this shit show.

    If the outcome of the referendum is a “no” vote, Labor will have a sucking chest wound heading in to the next election.

    • Ilandar
      3·
      9 months ago

      I’m pissed that this has become such a distraction from the real actual problems that I would prefer our government address.

      Has it though? It has certainly dominated the media, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it has distracted from issues such as the cost of living at a government policy level. The rent and housing debate between the ALP and The Greens was arguably an even bigger story earlier this year.