The Project’s Waleed Aly and Steve Price clash over ‘racist’ remark

The Project stars Waleed Aly and Steve Price clashed on Monday night’s show while discussing a controversial letter sent to ‘No’ voters.

Waleed Aly and Steve Price had an awkward exchange on Monday’s edition of The Project over a letter written about those who voted No in the Voice referendum.

The scathing letter from Indigenous leaders sparked controversy this week when it accused Australians of a “shameful act” in turning down the Voice proposal.

Kate Carnell, a former Liberal politician who broke ranks by advocating for the Voice, spoke out on Monday against the letter and suggested it could further weaken support for a treaty among the 60 per cent of Australians who voted no.

Steve disagreed with the new letter from Indiginous leaders.

On The Project, Price criticised the letter and suggested Yes campaigners had learned nothing from their defeat in the referendum.

“It seems to me the Yes campaign hasn’t learned anything about the result that happened Saturday two weeks ago. The public voted 60 per cent No, 40 per cent Yes. And yet they pen a letter that they then send to the cabinet and Prime Minister calling people who voted No as doing a ‘shameful act’, suggesting No voters are racists,” said Price.

The letter was written by a group of anonymous Indigenous leaders.

“If you are going to do that, at least have the courage to put your name to it,” he continued angrily. I know that there were some people who disagreed on the Yes side to the sentiments in the letter ... but there were those who agreed.

He appeared to suggest those who failed to make their support of the letter known were cowards, repeating: “Those people should have the courage to put their names on it.”

Waleed seemed frustrated with Price's comment about the thoughts of 'Yes' voters.

Price’s remarks didn’t sit right with Aly, who interrupted his co-star to disagree.

“I ... I don’t think they said all No voters were racist. I have a couple of responses to this. Part of it, I don’t agree with their analysis, well you know, all of their analysis,” he said.

Price interjected: “It is three pages, right?”

“I read through the three pages,” Aly said.

“There is a lot in there, it is hard to have a simple response.

“But I feel some of these people, you know, it is using this work and the research and the time, and working in the community, you know, coming up with this proposal. They must be so hurting. I can’t deny them that.”

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Monday, Ms Carnell warned that attempts by the Yes campaign to say they “were robbed” would backfire.

“I do think it will weaken support for the First Nations treaty. It will get in the way of support for a treaty, not help support for a treaty,” she said.