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TV icon Ray Martin launched an extraordinary attack on No voters, calling them “dinosaurs and dickheads” in a scathing speech to a cheering Yes crowd.
The veteran journalist and presenter took on No voters at a promotional event at the Factory Theater in Marrickville, western Sydney, on September 28.
Video obtained by Daily Mail Australia shows Martin taking aim at the No camp’s slogan “If you don’t know, vote No”, saying: “If you don’t know, find out what you don’t know.”
“What this slogan says is that if you’re a dinosaur or an asshole who doesn’t want to read, then vote no.”
TV icon Ray Martin launches extraordinary attack on No voters – calling them ‘dinosaurs and dickheads’ in scathing speech to pro-Yes crowd in front of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Martin attacked No voters during a promotional event at the Factory Theater in Marrickville, western Sydney, on September 28.
Martin then criticized the No campaign’s main argument that there are not enough details on the proposal, arguing that they “just don’t matter.”
“They never mattered. Honestly, they are irrelevant,” he said.
“Over the next 10, 20 or 30 years, no matter who is in government, the details will change, as will the members of the Voice delegation, depending on the needs, priorities and policies intended to bridge this bloody divide.
“You can’t put all this in the constitution. »
The speech was delivered to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and took place in his electorate of Grayndler.
The next day, Mr Albanese described Martin’s speech as “very powerful”.
One of the two organizations that make up the official No campaign, Fair Australia, took exception to Martin’s comments.
A video obtained by Daily Mail Australia shows Martin taking aim at the No camp’s slogan “If you don’t know, vote No”, saying: “If you don’t know, find out what you don’t know.”
Mr Albanese described Martin’s speech as “very powerful” in the aftermath of the event, which took place on September 28.
A spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that Martin’s comments were another attack on honest Australians who chose to vote against The Voice.
“After being called ‘racist’ and ‘stupid’, Australians voting no can now add ‘d**khead’ and ‘dinosaur’ to the list of insults hurled at us by the Yes campaign.
“The mocking elites of the Yes campaign are determined to divide Australians.
“These elitists are addicted to insulting us and just can’t stop making fun of ordinary Australians.”
The campaign called on Martin to apologize and for Mr Albanese to condemn his comments.
Daily Mail Australia has sought comment from the Prime Minister’s Office on its views on Martin’s specific comments.
The Prime Minister also addressed the crowd at the event, describing Voice’s proposal as “a handshake, a gift of friendship”.
“Politics has unfortunately been the driving force behind this campaign,” he said.
“No MP really thinks Voice would advise the Reserve Banks on interest rates, but these questions have been asked of us in Parliament as if they are legitimate – Australia deserves better.
“This is a huge opportunity for Australia.
“No, this is what we have now, there is so much to gain and nothing to lose by voting yes.”
Martin’s comments divided Australians when video of the speech surfaced. Some were inspired and vowed to stand with him and vote yes on October 14.
Other non-aligned voters got angry. “Details matter, that’s why everyone is voting no,” one social media user said.
“This video made me vote no,” said another.
Australians will go to the polls on October 14 for the first referendum in 24 years.
The Prime Minister also addressed the crowd at the event, describing Voice’s proposal as “a handshake, a gift of friendship”.
Martin has a long history of involvement in Indigenous affairs. He was a member of the National Council for Indigenous Reconciliation for 10 years as President of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation.
The former host of Channel Nine programs including Midday and The Ray Martin Show discovered in the 1990s that his great-great-grandmother was an indigenous Kamilaroi woman.
The latest criticism of No voters comes after prominent Indigenous activist and Yes vote advocate Professor Marcia Langton faced backlash for accusing the No campaign of being based on “basic racism” or “pure stupidity”.
Professor Langton made the remarks at a forum in Bunbury, Western Australia, and said Australians needed to look more carefully at the No campaign’s claims.
“Every time the No cases raise their arguments, if you start to dismantle them, you get to base racism – I’m sorry to say that’s where it lands – or sheer stupidity,” said Professor Langton.
Professor Langton then insisted that she was not calling No voters racist or stupid, just that the arguments used in the No campaign were.
And No events have become lightning rods for attacks across the country. In South Australia, protesters called participants “racist dogs”, while others were called “scum” at a similar event in Queensland.
A retired university professor was also reported to have recently spat at a No activist in Cooma.
Despite the incidents and disastrous results in Newspoll and YouGov polls, Yes campaigners have reason to hope, with an Essential poll showing a slight two percentage point swing back to Yes this week.
The poll reveals that 43 per cent of the 1,125 respondents will vote yes, two more than a previous poll conducted a fortnight earlier. The swing was within the margin of error.
Martin discovered in the 1990s that his great-great-grandmother was a Kamilaroi Aboriginal woman and he himself was a member of the National Council for Indigenous Reconciliation for 10 years as President of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation.