WhatsNew2Day – Latest News And Breaking Headlines
Wild scenes of jubilation broke out Tuesday evening during a tumultuous rally for the No campaign in the must-win state of South Australia.
More than 1,000 people, many wearing “no” T-shirts, gathered at the Adelaide Convention Center to hear from leading campaigners including Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO.
South Australian senator Kerrynne Liddle was also there to oppose Voice to Parliament, which would enshrine an indigenous-led advisory body in the Constitution.
In an emotional speech, Senator Price broke down in tears as she spoke of her role as a “vessel” for Indigenous people who she said had been ignored by mainstream politics and media.
“I was a vessel for the women sitting in that room, the cousin of a young girl who was murdered, hanging from a tree,” she said, referring to her speech to the National Press Club last week.
In an emotional speech, Jacinta Price broke down in tears as she spoke of her role as a “vessel” for indigenous people who she said had been ignored by mainstream politics.
Senator Price called the Voice referendum “the biggest greenhouse gas event our country has ever seen” (pictured, crowd at the Adelaide Convention Centre)
“These are the voices the media ignores, these are the voices Labor ignores, these are the voices the Greens ignore, these are the voters the Sarcelles ignore.
“And these are the voices that the damn Voice in Parliament will ignore.”
As his voice rose in anger, the crowd stood, clapped and applauded furiously.
The outspoken shadow minister for Indigenous affairs called the Voice referendum “the biggest greenhouse gas event our nation has ever seen”.
“We are sick to death of being told how racist and horrible we are. Our own children are being taught not to be proud to call themselves Australians in this country,” she said .
Senator Price argued a vote would “constitutionally enshrine” a victim mentality in the country and degrade the future of Indigenous Australians.
Senator Price also said US racial politics, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, had begun to seep into Australia.
“It doesn’t belong here,” she said.
Demonstrators gathered Monday against the No campaign in front of the Palais des Congrès.
Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO told crowds in Adelaide the referendum was “dividing the nation” and the central argument for One Voice was a “lie”.
Speaking before Senator Price, Mr Mundine praised conservative ideals as the best way to help Indigenous Australians progress.
“Australia is not a racist country and our people are not racist,” he said.
“We wouldn’t spend billions of dollars helping people if we were a bunch of racists.”
Mr Mundine said successive governments had spent hundreds of billions of dollars helping Indigenous Australians over the past 50 years and he said there was a need for better accountability for how money leads to “practical results”.
Earlier, noisy protesters gathered outside the packed event, chanting with a megaphone: “This has always been and always will be Aboriginal land. »
Present at a press conference before her speech, Senator Price criticized the protesters, saying there was a growing ugliness in the campaign.
“This is the level of racism and division that the Prime Minister must take responsibility for,” she said.
She said Indigenous Australians like her and Mr Mundine had been victims of “harassment, gaslighting and manipulation”.
South Australia is seen as a key battleground in the referendum campaign, with thousands of Yes and No volunteers expected to fan out across the state to persuade voters to support the change, which would integrate into the Establishes a permanent advisory body for Indigenous Australians.
Mr Mundine said the referendum was “dividing the nation” and the central argument for a vote was a “lie” because Indigenous Australians already had a voice in government.
He also said Indigenous Australians had progressed in society since he was a child, highlighting the growing number of Indigenous doctors, lawyers and other university graduates as well as the growing economic contribution of Indigenous businesses.
Asked if a no vote would mean a change to Australia Day, Mr Mundine said: “We want Australia Day to stay.”
Senator Jacinta Price is pictured next to No supporters in Adelaide on Monday
Earlier, noisy protesters had gathered outside the packed event, chanting with a megaphone: “This has always been and always will be Aboriginal land. »
Senator Price said South Australia was a crucial state for the campaign and she criticized Premier Peter Malinautkas’ state-based Voice model.
She said the project had remained “silent” and failed to improve the lives of South Australia’s most marginalized people.
South Australia became the first Australian state to legislate for First Nations voice in Parliament, but the advisory council elections were postponed until March 2024, with the state model “overshadowed” by the referendum and causing confusion among the electors.
In her own speech, Senator Liddle also criticized South Australia’s Voice channel, arguing it had been “parked” and the public had not been allowed to see how it would operate.
South Australian Opposition Leader David Speirs was also seen at the sold-out event.
Senator Price said Australians must vote no to “unify the nation”.
Asked about her previous controversial remark that British colonization had not had a lasting negative impact on Indigenous Australians, Senator Price said Indigenous Australians would “probably not” want to return to life as it was in pre-colonial Australia.