‘Disinformation’, ‘divisive’: Voice campaigners battle for Cairns voters
Representatives from each side of the Voice campaign are making their cases ahead of the October referendum.
Cairns
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A retired constitutional lawyer leading the Cairns No campaign claims an affirmative referendum result will divide the nation.
Peter Fitzgibbon questioned if meaningful change for Indigenous Australians would be achieved by the proposed advisory body.
Speaking from a stall at Rusty’s Markets in the Cairns CBD on Sunday Mr Fitzgibbon, flanked by a core group of supporters, said he was leading the No campaign in partnership with Fair Australia.
The group handed out flyers, stickers and information leaflets and have helped to distribute 50,000 leaflets into the letterboxes of Cairns homes.
Mr Fitzgibbon said he believed it was difficult for no voters to openly oppose constitutional change for fear of being branded a racist.
“But it’s the reverse, because it is the yes case that is attempting to make Australia racist by inserting a special group of people,” he said.
“In a liberal democracy, we all have a voice, however activists want a second Voice based on race.”
Two weeks ago newspapers owned by Nine Entertainment uncovered dubious tactics by Fair Australia.
According to one report, the campaign’s leaders had been instructing its volunteers to not identify themselves to voters as “being from the no campaign” while attempting to raise doubt about, and fear of, the Voice in the minds of their audience.
Campaign volunteers were reportedly instructed to tell voters they “heard” the Voice would bring about reparation payments and the abolition of Australia Day, claims the yes campaign has called “disinformation”.
Mr Fitzgibbon claimed $4.3bn spent by the National Indigenous Australians Agency last year had done little to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians and close the gap and if successful, constitutional change was unlikely to directly benefit Far North Indigenous people living in remote communities.
Mr Fitzgibbon suspected “activists” will be appointed by the Minister of Indigenous Affairs if the Yes vote gets up who will make up the advisory body.
“That is not going to solve the problem and there is nothing in the proposal that will do what they say it will and that is improve the disadvantage of Aboriginal people,” he said.
Meanwhile Thomas Mayo, who has led the yes campaign alongside Noel Pearson and campaign director Dean Parkin, will host a Voice information session at Wuchopperen Health Service in Manoora on Monday.
Mr Mayo said the session, which begins at 11am, would be a chance for people to ask critical questions.
“We will be addressing the disinformation being spread by helping people to see what the truth of the Voice is,” Mr Mayo said.
“This is an advisory body … it’s a practical reform to assist our people in having a say on policies that affect them, and, therefore, see better outcomes.
“There are laws and policies being made specifically for First Nations people. Those laws have failed us.”
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Originally published as ‘Disinformation’, ‘divisive’: Voice campaigners battle for Cairns voters
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