By RomeoCharlie
Writing in Crikey today, First Nations woman and well-credentialled writer, Aileen Moreton-Robinson, said it was telling that those who advocate No to the Voice are usually old white men who grew up under the White Australia Policy.
She goes on to name a group of men she calls ‘white patriarchs who wield enormous influence’ including John Howard, Rupert Murdoch, Gary Johns and Peter Dutton.
It is probably cold comfort to her given the prevailing opinion about the likely success or failure of the Voice Referendum that not all elderly white men are opposed to the voice.
I am part of a group of such men ranging in age from mid 60s to 86 who meet regularly for Friday lunch (Thursday if Friday is a public holiday) and have done so for more than 40 years.
Of this group of nine, I believe all support the concept of the Voice and intend to vote that way. We believe in the proposition that this is a relatively simple change to the constitution carrying none of the threats that are propagated by opponents using disinformation, misinformation and outright lies to generate fear in an uninformed element of the population.
Some of us abhor the position taken by the Federal Opposition’s Indigenous spokesperson, Jacinta Jampijinpa Price not because she’s an Indigenous person, or a woman but because she represents a political party with a long history of opposition to Indigenous advancement and aspirations in her home territory, and which like the Liberals and Nationals opposes the Voice.
I cannot speak for my lunch companions but my own feeling is that the Voice referendum offers us two very positive outcomes if successful: it will give First Nations people some of the justice they are very politely seeking and undoubtedly deserve but, more importantly for me, it will show those opposing the voice – the fearful whites, the craven Opposition politicians, the lie-promulgating hate-mongering Murdoch media and Sky-after-dark spite spitters – that they do not have the influence they believe they have.
The decline in their influence began with the failure of their opposition to the Same Sex Marriage Legislation and was cemented in the election of a Labor Government despite a sustained campaign of half-truths and lies.
Those of us disgusted at the Opposition and its sword-carriers have an opportunity now to put what should be the last nail in the coffin of Murdoch influence over political events in Australia. Vote yes.
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