Kyle and Jackie O’s surprise admission to Anthony Albanese on major debate
Breakfast radio stars Kyle and Jackie O have confronted the Prime Minister with just how they voted in the Voice referendum live on air.
Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson have opened up about how they’ve voted in the Voice to Parliament referendum.
The breakfast radio stars were joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday morning as he continued his media blitz to drum up support for proposed constitutional change.
Sandilands revealed that despite being left confused by the “talking points” from each camp he voted Yes via a postal vote.
“I just thought to myself, voting yes, that’s what I’m gonna do. I don’t care what anyone else does, but I just thought I want to … at least feel like I’ve done the right thing,” he told listeners.
He said there needed to be a greater focus on the communities where “young fellas” were getting into trouble because they’re bored.
“I’ve been that kid. I’m not even Indigenous. I’ve been that bored homeless kid where we just thought, ‘Let’s cause some trouble because there is nothing else to do’.”
Mr Albanese agreed with the shock jock, saying the Voice would help create opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
Sandilands told Mr Albanese that his co-host Jackie O had also voted Yes but said after a number of open discussions some of the show’s staff had voted No.
Ms Henderson did not add further comment on her position, but confirmed she had voted yes.
A producer on the program told Mr Albanese that he felt Indigenous Australians coming out in favour of the No vote had confused many voters.
Sandilands said it depended on a person's individual politics, “not just the colour of your skin”.
“Of course,” Mr Albanese replied.
“Not every Greek Australian thinks the same. Not every Italian Australian thinks the same. They’re not a homogenous group, but 83 per cent of Indigenous people do want this.”
Asked if the Voice would lead to giving Indigenous Australians “the land”, Mr Albanese said it was “absolutely not true”.
“If you actually do things properly and more efficiently, you'll end up saving money because you’ll actually not be wasting it on things that simply don’t work,” he responded.
Australians will head to the polls on Saturday to have their say on whether to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body, the Voice, in the Constitution.
The radio stars are just the latest in a long line of high-profile Australians who have revealed their support for the Voice in recent days.
A group of former Australians of the Year, including Evonne Goolagong, Shane Gould, Dylan Alcott, Rosie Batty, Grace Tame and Cathy Freeman, signed an open letter calling the referendum “a step to a more united and cohesive nation”.
On Tuesday, Collingwood’s AFL premiership captain Darcy Moore also backed the proposal.
“I’ll be voting yes,” he told ABC Radio.
“I feel like it’s an intuitive next step and seems to be an important and practical way to help Indigenous Australians and recognise them in the Constitution.
“There’s sort of nothing in there, in the wording of the question, that seems to be problematic to me.”