I first voted in a referendum in 1988. I recall a 20-year-old me liked the idea of fixed election terms, which was one of the four questions. Turns out I was in the minority - Labor have a very bad track record in getting referendums up! In fact, I think I have voted yes in every referendum and plebiscite since. The republic was another where I found myself on the wrong side on history, as the saying goes.
It is condescending when strong yes supporters endlessly tell no supporters to educate themselves and get informed. This seems to assume only the ignorant are leaning to a no. The ABC’s poll average has the no at 57%, so that is an indictment on plenty of Australians. Sure, some Australians do not even know there is an upcoming referendum, and may well default to a no, if they don’t know.
Australian brands, including sports and large corporates, are actively supporting The Voice. Virtue signalling, you might say. As they spend that money, as many of 57% of their supporters, customers and everyday shareholders, disagree with them. Presumably they would rather these outfits concentrate on delivering their products and services. Qantas are coming around to that idea.
It is noteworthy that while some of these groups are silent on the issue, zero, as far as I have seen, are saying they support the no vote. By the way, our local Councils have taken a similar pathway. Lane Cove and North Sydney are loud and proud with a yes.
There is a political phenomenon called the Bradley effect. Tom Bradley was a popular African American mayor of Los Angeles in the 1980s. Surprisingly he lost in 1982, despite strong polling during the campaign. It is argued that many white voters said one thing to pollsters, but did another in the privacy of the voting booth. Perhaps there are more no voters than you think at your weekend dinner party.
From the time our Prime Minister brought forward Shaquille O’Neal as a spokesperson, I think the yes campaigners have driven down their own vote. I don’t know about you, but I find few Australians turn to American basketballers for their constitutional advice. If those ‘vids’ did get made, they have not popped up on my feed!
I have taken time to listen and learn. While I don’t need too much encouragement for a Saturday beer, I recently Ubered up to The Greengate at Killara and listened to Warren Mundine and Tony Abbott talk for the no campaign. I have listened to constitutional experts and taken the chance to chat with a former high court judge.
My natural position on the Voice is yes. I would say many ‘soft yes’ voters think our Indigenous Australians deserve whatever reasonable measures to assist them with opportunity and equality. Few give credence to the prospect of a voice to parliament having undue influence, but that possible ineffectiveness is part of the campaign’s problem. They would almost certainly vote yes for constitutional recognition, sans a Voice.
Queensland and Western Australia were always very unlikely to produce a yes vote. With a yes vote needing four of our six states, as well as the overall majority, it may be somewhere like South Australia that decides the day.
Greg Cook is a member of the Liberal Party of Australia and was a candidate for Gordon Ward in the 2021 Ku-ring-gai Council elections.
