By Aaron Cordy
IN what did not come as a surprise to many, last week’s Voice to Parliament Referendum came in with a solid “No” from the Australian people. In a move that was meant to bring us closer together as a nation, the referendum has done more to divide the country over the last few months, with battle lines drawn across both sides on social media.
A strong 60.62% to 39.38% in favour of the “No” Vote, it cannot be denied Australia has spoken. The Nicholls electorate came in with only 23.81% for “Yes”, despite Victoria as a whole coming in with 44.95% to 55.05% in favour of “No”.
“It has been a difficult period locally and nationally; the campaign was unnecessarily divisive due to the refusal of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to strive for a bipartisan approach,” said member for Nicholls, Sam Birrell.
“The recognition and advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities remains a shared goal.”
“The Australian people have spoken… I can’t imagine the depth of disappointment and rejection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the nation are feeling. I think about future generations and what that will mean for them and how they view this country. I also think of how our country is viewed by people in other countries across the globe and what it says about our nation,” said Yes Hub volunteer Dierdre Robertson.
