‘Blackfellas’: Rage over Sydney University professor speech at graduating ceremony over failed Voice

A Sydney university professor is under fire over a divisive speech he gave during a student graduation in the wake of the failed Voice referendum.

A Sydney university professor is under fire over a divisive speech he gave during a student graduation as the fallout from the failed Voice referendum continues.

Professor Alan McKee, the head of art, communication and English at Sydney University told students who were graduating that the “country has changed”.

“Australia is not the same as it was a week ago, because five days ago on Saturday there was a seismic shift in Indigenous futures,” he declared.

“Reconciliation is dead and the future is going to be different”.

Prof McKee went on to quote ABC journalist Isabella Higgins who had said on Insiders on October 15 “a whole generation of blackfellas have learnt that being nice doesn’t work”.

He warned there was “going to be a lot of angry blackfellas”.

Prof McKinn urged the students to “join him to make the future a bit better than the past” for Indigenous Australians.

Professor Alan McKee at the ceremony. Picture: 2GB

A family member of a student who was present at the graduation told 2GB’s Ben Fordham the speech was “cringeworthy”.

“Especially since 60 per cent of the population had made their mind up,” the man said.

“It diminished it, left a bitter feeling.”

Professor McKee did not respond to questions by news.com.au.

But a Sydney University spokesperson defended the speech, telling news.com.au: “Graduations at universities around the world have a long tradition of featuring thought-provoking speeches to celebrate success, inspire reflection and motivate students to consider a better future”.

“That’s what Professor McKee did with this part of the speech,” the spokesperson said, adding the university was “deeply committed to academic freedom and the safe and legal expression of free speech”.

“We strongly defend the right of Professor McKee to express his opinions, and of the audience to express their own varied views,” the spokesperson concluded.

Graduating students listening to Professor McKee. Picture: 2GB

A majority of Australians voted resoundingly against enshrining an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the country’s constitution on October 14.

Voters in every state and territory bar the ACT opposed the change.

Nationally, only 39.6 per cent of the population voted Yes on the Voice to parliament referendum, while 60.4 per cent opposed.

Indigenous leaders declare Voice result ‘shameful act’

Professor McKee’s comments come as over the weekend Indigenous leaders broke their silence, expressing their shock and disbelief over the “lies, racism and ignorance” they say swept through the No campaign.

In an unsigned, open letter, Yes campaigners and community members blasted the vote’s failure, declaring it a “shameful act” committed by the “majority of Australians”.

“That people who came to our country in only the last 235 years would reject the recognition of this continent’s First Peoples – on our sacred land which we have cared for and nurtured for more than 65,000 years – is so appalling and mean-spirited as to be utterly unbelievable a week following,” the letter read.

“It will remain unbelievable and appalling for decades to come.”

The Week of Silence in response to the referendum result has been broken by a Statement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, community members and organisations who supported YES.

We are still here and we are still surviving. Always was, always will be. pic.twitter.com/8B7PYRyONy

— Allira Davis (@DavisAllira) October 22, 2023

Split across 12 “collective insights and views”, the open letter placed blame for the failure of the referendum on a range of factors, including right-wing politicians and the media.

“The support for the referendum collapsed from the moment Liberal and National Party leaders, Mr Dutton and Mr Littleproud, chose to oppose the Voice to parliament proposal after more than a decade of bipartisan support,” it stated.

Leaders also lashed the No campaign, which they say “resurrected scare campaigns seen during the 1990s against land rights” and proliferated “deliberate disinformation and misinformation”, which “unleashed a tsunami of racism against our people”.

Indigenous leaders went on to Voice support for establishing an independent Voice to advocate for the rights of First Nations people before ending on a note of resilience.

-Angus McIntyre, Eleanor Campbell and Aisling Brennan, NCA NewsWire