Indigenous leaders have spoken on the devastating defeat of The Voice referendum following a week of silence in an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The letter called the success of the No campaign a “shameful victory”, saying the constitution belongs to “white people” and that no reform of it could ever allow Indigenous people to succeed.
“That people who came to our country in only the last 235 years would reject the recognition of this continent’s First Peoples — on our sacred land which we have cared for and nurtured for more than 65,000 years — is so appalling and mean-spirited as to be utterly unbelievable a week following,” the letter reads.
The letter took particular aim at the National and Liberal parties for launching attacks on the referendum, accusing the parties of seeking political advantages over meaningful change for the Indigenous communities struggling the most.
“The support for the referendum collapsed from the moment Liberal and National Party leaders, Mr [Peter] Dutton and Mr [David] Littleproud, chose to oppose the Voice to Parliament proposal after more than a decade of bipartisan support,” it reads.
“The proposal was tracking 60 per cent support compared to 40 per cent opposition for several years until the National and Liberal parties preferred wanton political damage over support for some of this country’s most disadvantaged people.
“The truth is that the majority of Australians have committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not, and there is nothing positive to be interpreted from it.”
It’s not the end of the road for recognition, however, as Indigenous leaders are now seeking a Voice to be established without the requirement of constitutional change or legislation. The Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney told NITV last week that she would now begin conversations about “next steps”.
The post Indigenous Leaders Have Broken Their Silence On The Voice Referendum Result In Open Letter appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
