Mackay Whitsunday residents speak out about their Voice referendum vote

Mackay region leaders have reacted to the results of the referendum after more than 80 per cent of the Dawson electorate voted ‘no’ to an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. SEE RESULTS, UPDATES

Locals leaders have reacted to the results of the referendum after more than 80 per cent of the Dawson electorate voted ‘no’ to an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Arguments from Mackay leaders were centred on the racial dimension of the debate, whether they were on the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ side.

Dawson MP Andrew Willcox said he was pleased Australia had voted no but that it was “not the time to celebrate”.

“It’s time to move forward and look after all our marginalised Australians, not on the basis of race,” he said.

“We should still be looking at closing the gap, but how we do that is do it all along where we currently are at, work out what’s working, what’s not working, (and) increase what is working obviously.

“The last thing we need is more bureaucrats in Canberra, we needs grassroots solutions and that’s what I’ll be putting forward.”

Dawson MP Andrew Willcox in federal parliament. Picture: Contributed

Mackay For Yes co-captain Deborah Green said she was “very disappointed” Australians refused what she said was a “polite and respectful invitation” to work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“Last night we showed the world that Australia still has a very race-based culture,” she said.

“My hope is for the next generation to see through the fearmongering and to see a brighter future (...) where we can walk together and understand each other,”

Mackay For Yes co-captain Deborah Green commented on the Voice referendum results. Picture: Contributed

Earlier

While many around the country may have made up their minds, some in the Whitsundays were still unsure on Saturday (follow live results here).

This was surprising for the two teams welcoming voters at Saint Catherine’s Catholic College in Proserpine.

The “yes” volunteers told this publication they were not there to specifically campaign but show their support as they believed it was “too late for opinions”.

Jennifer Beaumont said she believed the “majority” of people had already decided their vote.

“There’s people who don’t want to accept information because they’ve already made their mind up.”

Yes campaigners in Proserpine, Chris Franklin, Jennifer Beaumont and Gina Borellini. Picture: Estelle Sanchez

Two metres behind them was the ‘no’ campaign area where men were dressed in campaign shirts and standing alongside posters featuring pictures of Indigenous ‘no’ campaign leaders Warren Mundine and Jacinta Price.

Proserpine’s Wayne Askey said he’d voted ‘no’ because he was not “responsible to fix” what governments had done in the past.

“The young generation will be the people that will sway the vote,” he said.

No campaigners in Proserpine Wayne Askey and Jeff Reudavey. Picture: Estelle Sanchez

When others were asked however, several were still unsure about what the Voice was all about.

Proserpine resident Robbie Jensen, 27, had voted ‘no’ to an Indigenous Voice to Parliament but said he had decided on the spot, without knowing why.

Proserpine resident Robbie Jensen.

“I just went in there and voted ‘no,” he said.

Liam Camm said he had voted ‘No’ but wasn’t sure what the reason behind his vote was.

Mr Camm said members of his family were voting no, but the referendum was not something they had “talked about”.

Liam Cam

Sarah Desilva was on her way to vote at Saint Catherine’s Catholic College and said she was still not sure what she would be voting once inside and would decide at the last second.

“I still don’t know what I’m voting,” she said.

She said the reason behind her hesitation was she found all the information from the Yes and No campaigns were “very confusing and conflicting”.

Sara Desilva.

In Mackay, voters lined up outside the showgrounds on referendum day with some campaigners saying organisation had been a struggle.

Mackay ‘no’ campaigners: Tracie Newitt, Laurie Nielsen, Stewart Fenner and Julie Sawtell

No campaigner Tracie Newitt said she was part of the Capricornia electorate and it had been more difficult for her to vote in Mackay.

“I’ve walked in here this morning where I normally come to vote on different occasions, and I was told that this was a Dawson electorate.”

“If I’d known I would have probably not come to Mackay but down in Sarina to save the workload on these people inside as well.”

‘Yes’ voters in Mackay said they had decided to vote because “they couldn’t see another option” but felt the vote to fail was more likely.

Mackay resident Mary Randall said she had voted yes but felt “embarrassed” as she said the Voice to parliament would not pass.

Voters line the Mackay showgrounds.

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Dear readers,

On this historic day, the Mackay Daily Mercury will be bringing you coverage from the region’s polling booths (find your closet ballot box here).

My editorial below sums up how I feel about the campaign so far and my hopes for the future whatever Saturday’s result may be.

News Corp’s live blog can be followed here.

You can also catch up on five of our top recent stories including a piece on how locals have voted so far at pre-polling booths.

1. Very traumatic’: Hunt for horse killer after family’s horror find

2. ‘Arguments on both sides’: How locals are voting for Voice

3. Driver charged over horrific train death west of Bowen

4. How local NRL heroes became Indigenous Carnival champions

5. Bridge worth $15m a day to region finally to be upgraded

Heidi Petith,

Editor

EDITORIAL: Time to rediscover our ‘country manners’

I have witnessed ugliness this week.

While I was chatting with a Mackay woman sheltering in a Jerusalem bunker, half a world away I was reading comments on the Voice referendum.

In Australia, I grew up learning we had compassion but in reality, people are asserting that other’s feelings, thoughts, and opinions on the Voice do not matter.

In Mackay, where I was proud of our country manners – we open the door for others, say g’day on the footpath, carry groceries when we see someone struggling – we are closing our hearts and ears to healthy debate.

As an example, Johnathan Thurston shared why he’s voting ‘yes’ this week.

That man is a football hero to many North Queenslanders.

Yet some have now decided he’s their legend no more because he shared his thoughts as an Indigenous man on a referendum to address Indigenous representation.

Whether you agreed or disagreed with him, are we not mature enough to respect his football prowess and his political viewpoints without casting him aside?

Those of us who were raised in Mackay went to school with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They were our friends, family, neighbours and colleagues.

I am white, but together we are Australian, and I will respect my community members no matter whether they vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

For decades in this town we’ve disagreed over political lines yet managed to stay friends through the LNP and Labor shuffles.

And so, I really hope we can find those country manners and be there for one another regardless of the referendum outcome this weekend.

We are better than division.