Albanian voice referendum for parliament should be easy

Is Voice to Congress Really Hard or Easy Change? Editor-in-Chief Michelle Pini report.

It may be our geographic isolation that has kept Australia out of step with the modern world in many ways.

Indeed, our reluctance to move with the times on issues of social progress has resulted in 32 of the 46 federal elections since the Commonwealth, in which conservative parties favoring the status quo have formed governments. established by the fact that

Or, as evidenced by our disgraceful treatment of refugees and asylum seekers in our short history, we are really not only xenophobic, but also just plain racist. There may be.

But in a country where a new Labor government heralded reforms and the country no longer relied solely on the traditional view of “white bread” but was transformed by multiculturalism and now embraces rotis and papadums, parliament Is it really that hard to speak out, and is a significant segment of the population continuing to vehemently oppose it?

After Turnbull and Morrison’s government ignored Uluru statement from the heart Called to uphold the voice of indigenous peoples in parliament in all aspects of politics, but finally, the Albanian government is calling for a referendum to defend this voice by allowing indigenous minorities into the constitution. .

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese clarified the draft wording of the yes or no referendum question:

“Do you support constitutional changes that establish a voice for Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders?”

During a speech at the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land, Albania Said Amend the Constitution to include this voice:

…willingness to listen means not depending on who is in government or who is prime minister…

Because the voices written in the Constitution cannot be silenced.

The Prime Minister added:

“I ask all Australians of goodwill to get involved in this.”

Talking to young Australians, it quickly becomes clear that the narrow and retrograde view that Indigenous voices somehow undermine our democracy is simply out of tune with the new face of Australia. This new face is likely to be a darker shade, and its owner is more likely to be female, or non-binary. , has become less concerned with old, outdated ideas. It is clear that we need to maintain colonialism, support a stagnating small minority, and be in need of complete reform.

Not just young Australians.Recent essential pole 65% of Australians revealed they support Indigenous voices in parliament. This includes 77% of workers and 53% of those who vote for the coalition.

The federal election in May was a pantomime, as the appearance of two ships on Election Day was not enough to save the Morrison administration. was supported by the Union.

Indigenous voices to Congress represent the first step on the road to a treaty.

Below are some pertinent facts about Australia’s treatment of Indigenous minorities in relation to the rest of the modern world.

• Australia is the only Commonwealth country that has not signed treaties with indigenous peoples.
• Other Western nations that have signed the Indigenous Peoples Convention include Norway, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada and even our good friend the United States.
• There are now eight Indigenous representatives in the Senate and three in the House of Commons, bringing the total number of Indigenous representatives in the 47th Parliament to 4.8%, up from 3.3% of the Australian Indigenous population recorded in the last Census.
• The Indigenous Labor Party has nine MPs, representing 5.9% of the caucuses, while only two Indigenous senators (1.25%) make up the coalition.When
• Australia’s last successful referendum was in 1967 to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australians in the constitution.

That a referendum was even necessary for the above purposes is a shameful fact that should forever stain our national consciousness and remind us of our reprehensible racist origins.

Perhaps Prime Minister Albanese could have best described the importance of this referendum as follows:

“We are looking for profound change, but it is also very simple.”

As a naturalized Australian of non-Anglo-Saxon immigrant background, I can speak with some experience about what it is like to feel that you do not belong. But I also know that while this feeling is certainly very hurtful, it is nothing more than a piece of paper compared to the deep lacerations of feeling like it doesn’t belong on the land your people have lived on for thousands of years. I’m here.

As a non-Indigenous Australian, I do not profess to know anything about how to alleviate the immense suffering inflicted on Indigenous Peoples. If nothing else, don’t rub salt into the wound anymore. Just say yes to this simple but profound change.

This editorial is first published As part of Independent Australia’s weekly newsletter. These articles are generally available to subscribers only and can be read online at IA. Members-only area.

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