Touch wood, the “Voice” referendum is dead in the water — and they know it. That’s the obvious conclusion from both recent polling and a slew of policy announcements by Labor state governments.
I’m almost afraid to believe it, but the evidence is all pointing one way.
First, the polling. Note the desperate media spin.
A majority of Australians support changing the Constitution to enshrine an Indigenous voice to parliament on the basis it would ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had a say in policies that affect them and mark a step forward in reconciliation.
There’s a problem with nearly every word of that sentence, but let’s go with the bleeding obvious: A majority of Australians support changing the Constitution.
But that’s not how referendums in Australia work. To pass, a referendum must achieve a “double majority”. That is, not only a national majority (more than half of all voters in Australia) but a majority of voters in a majority of the states. In other words, more than half of voters in at least four out of six states must vote “Yes” for a referendum to pass. So, if majorities in each of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia all vote Yes, but a majority of voters in each of Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia vote No, the referendum is dead.
So, what does the vaunted polling actually show?
An exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian published as parliament returns on Monday for the first time this year, shows 56 per cent of voters were in favour of constitutional change for a voice to parliament, with 37 per cent saying they were against the proposal.
Notably, the survey doesn’t provide a state-by-state breakdown.
But support is even weaker than it seems.
Yet only 28 per cent of voters were “strongly” in favour, echoing a similar level of support for the Yes case in the 1999 referendum for a republic, which ultimately failed.
The Australian
Opposition to the referendum is much firmer. While only half of possible “Yes” voters strongly favoured it, three-quarters of “No” voters were strongly opposed. The most common reason for opposing it was that it is racist and divisive.
It’s looking very much as if the left knows they’ve lost already.
Anthony Albanese has been forced to back down and agree to fund both Yes and No campaigns — which is, in fact, the legally-required normal process. But Albanese has so far trampled on that legal requirement, throwing millions only at and only publicly supporting the Yes case. Apparently, Labor’s caucus realised, even if Albanese couldn’t, that the one-sided campaigning was doing more damage than it was helping.
But the clearest sign that the left knows they’re going to lose — this time — is that they’re already preparing to lock in the next generation of voters.
Victoria’s schools are being accused of “indoctrinating” students with a one-sided view on the Voice to Parliament as classrooms across the country are being taught to memorise the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
The Australian
These kids aren’t old enough to vote in the referendum — but they will be next time. And, you better believe there’ll be a next time.
That’s how the Long March left work: they play the long game. Decades long, if need be. Every time they lose, they keep stamping their feet and holding their breath until everyone else gives in, hoping they just go away. Of course, all it ever does is encourage the bastards.
Lest anyone doubt that this is naked indoctrination, take Daniel Andrews’ word for it.
Daniel Andrews has downplayed Victorian education department policy promoting the Indigenous voice to parliament as part of the state’s “journey to treaty”, saying he doesn’t believe there’ll be a “campaign” for the yes case in schools, but rather a “discussion” about an important national event.
The Australian
And there you have it. If Dictator Dan denies it, it’s absolutely true.