Voice to parliament referendum fails in defeat that Indigenous advocates will see as a blow to progress towards reconciliation

Australians have resoundingly rejected a proposal to recognise Aboriginal people in its constitution and establish a body to advise parliament on Indigenous issues.

Saturday’s voice to parliament referendum failed, with the defeat clear shortly after polls closed.

  • DogMuffins@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
    152·
    9 months ago

    I agree that Labor very badly misread the room. I’m a bit grumpy about it TBH.

    I don’t think Australia is really ready for a meaningful conversation about issues relating to first Australians - hell, I’m not if I’m really honest.

        • Welt@lazysoci.alEnglish
          3·
          9 months ago

          That’s perpetuating the racist myth that Tasmanian Aboriginal people were exterminated entirely. The Black War in Tassie arguably was a genocide but there are some Indigenous descendants today.

          But with Tasmania’s functional literacy below fifty percent (never mind two-thirds of the island’s population being welfare dependent), it’s never going to be the centre of intellectual discourse of any kind in this country.

          • ASeriesOfPoorChoices@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            9 months ago

            So… you agree then? That Tasmania has done more / come closer to achieving that horrific goal than other states?

            I didn’t say “exterminated entirely”. I said “taking point”. As in leading the nation (state-wise).

            I can understand the misunderstanding from an implication - but remembering the Black War is a good way to help fight against it happening again.

            • Welt@lazysoci.alEnglish
              11·
              9 months ago

              I mean, to be perfectly fair it happened in the Van Diemen’s Land colony, around seventy years before statehood, it was far from the only atrocity committed against Aboriginal people, and Indigenous Tasmanians were in a much worse state (no pun intended) at the time than those on the mainland. But if you want to add it to the list of Tasmania’s achievements alongside those othet two nation-leading measures I mentioned, I won’t stand in your way!