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The views of ordinary Australians on four of the Voice debate’s most notable figures have been made clear in a television graphic used by Channel Seven.
Seven Spotlight’s Voice to Parliament referendum debate took place on Sunday evening and invited independent senator Lidia Thorpe, Coalition senator Jacinta Price, broadcaster Ray Martin and Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy to speak.
The segment was accompanied by a “worm” – where undecided voters move a graph up or down depending on whether they agree or disagree with the speaker.
The worm rose well above the line when Mrs. Price and Mrs. Thorpe spoke, but came down when Martin or Mrs. McCarthy had their turn.
All four have Aboriginal heritage, but Ms Price and Ms Thorpe are staunchly opposed to an Aboriginal voice while Martin and Ms McCarthy are in favor of it.
Channel Seven’s ‘worm’ – where undecided voters move a graph up or down depending on whether they agree with the speaker – clearly showed what participants think of four of the most notable figures of the Voice referendum debate. Coalition Senator Jacinta Price is pictured
Ray Martin’s worm (pictured) spent most of the show below the line, meaning what he said was unpopular
The worm’s rough, snapshot popularity measure showed that most participants were opposed to the Voice and supported both Ms. Price’s conservative reasons for No and Ms. Thorpe’s so-called “non-progressive” views.
The worm went below the line, meaning negative opinion, most of the time when Ms. McCarthy or Martin spoke, particularly when the latter tried to defend himself by calling some No voters “heads.” assholes.”
The only problem for Ms Thorpe came when she talked about wanting a treaty between Australia and indigenous people.
Host Liam Bartlett asked Martin why he “chose to abuse people who had a different opinion” by calling them “douchebags and dinosaurs” at a Yes rally in Sydney’s western suburbs of Marrickville.
“I didn’t,” Martin replied. “That’s part of what I said… I didn’t say that no, the voters were dinosaurs or dickheads. “I said that those who vote no because they don’t know no… that slogan is one of the stupidest I’ve ever heard.
He added that “if anyone looks at the issue and decides to vote no, that is perfectly their democratic right. I don’t object to it at all.
“If a Yes voter votes without bothering to watch this very important referendum, I think they are in the lead too.”
Ms Price defended the slogan “If you don’t know, vote no”, saying it was impossible for people to know exactly what they were being asked to vote on.
“When people are looking for answers to their questions about how this is all going to work, how people are elected, we don’t know, we’re told it will come after the vote.
“So if you don’t know, if you’re not clear, it’s obvious that the government is not clear on how this is all supposed to work. That’s a red flag for me, I would vote no.” , she said.
Ms Thorpe argued: “It’s not about (Indigenous people’s) problems, it’s about the government not allowing us to decide what’s best for us.”
Although Lidia Thorpe’s worm sometimes goes below the line, it usually stays well above it (photo)
Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy (pictured) has at times slipped well below the line
Martin said it was the opposite. “The Voice is an opportunity for first Australians to speak out about their issues in a way they haven’t been able to for 235 years (since European settlement),” he said.
Ms McCarthy responded to indigenous activist Warren Mundine who said the Uluru Heart Declaration, on which the referendum question is based, was a “symbolic declaration of war against modern Australia”.
She said her choice of words was “very unfortunate.” This is actually a peaceful document…we are a very peaceful people.
“This is a peaceful approach through our democratic structure of this country, to ask our people to have a voice enshrined in the Constitution.
“A voice that can provide advice on issues affecting First Nations people. »
In a worrying sign for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the worm reached its lowest point of the night when a clip of him speaking on The Voice was broadcast.
By the end of the show, most of the undecided voters in the studio had chosen sides: 53 percent said they would vote no, 30 percent would vote yes and 17 percent were still undecided.
Nearly 41,000 viewers also participated in the vote, with 72 percent saying they would vote no, 23 percent yes and only 5 percent of them undecided.