Former Triple J presenter recalls ‘absolute rage’ seeing Aussie woman celebrate Voice referendum loss

A former TV and radio star has revealed the reaction that filled him with “absolute rage” inside a pub moments after the Voice to Parliament was rejected.

Former ABC presenter Tom Ballard has recalled the “absolute rage” he felt seeing a No voter’s bizarre reaction to the Voice referendum’s defeat at the weekend.

Supporters of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament are still reeling after it was rejected in a resounding, brutal loss at the polls.

There have been emotional reactions from passionate Yes voters across the country since Saturday night when the results of the referendum showed Australia overwhelmingly voted against changing the constitution.

But some Australians, likely the 60 per cent who voted against it, were pleased with the result.

Speaking on his podcast Serious Danger – which he co-hosts with former Greens candidate Emerald Moon – comedian Tom Ballard said he was out for dinner with his boyfriend and friends on Saturday when the defeat was called.

“I saw an elderly woman (at the pub) her son was on his phone, he looked up and said they’ve called it, it’s a no,” Ballard said.

“And she broke out into a smile and gave a double thumbs up. And I just … I cannot understand what’s going on in that person’s mind.”

In footage of the podcast recording, his co-host Moon shook her head at the story and chimed in, saying: “Yeah, what have you just gained? What does this mean for you personally?”

“Why are you so happy?” Ballard continued.

“And why can’t you give a skerrick of consideration for what this means for other people, particularly when those people include the most marginalised community in our society?”

Comedian and former Triple J presenter Tom Ballard said he felt “rage” seeing a woman celebrate the referendum result. Picture: TikTok.

His Serious Danger podcast co-host Emerald Moon was also visibly annoyed by the woman’s reaction. Picture: TikTok.

The former Triple J Breakfast presenter admitted he had “a very uncharitable series of thoughts seeing that” reaction from the woman.

“It was a real f***ing bummer.”

In the full podcast recording, the pair joked that the woman “was not a progressive no voter” who would argue they “care about Aboriginal people” and “don’t see colour”.

“But even the conservative No takes that line … ‘no it’s because I care about Aboriginal people, ‘OurIndigenous people’ as these people like to say, ‘Our Indigenous Australians’,” Ms Moon added.

“I don’t even see Indigenous people,” Ballard joked.

“Yeah, ‘I don’t see colour’,” Ms Moon quipped back.

The pair had a lengthy discussion about the result, how Australians voted, and why the referendum ultimately failed – which they concluded was because of general disinterest in politics

“I think, yes, the vast majority of white Australia would see that this – that an Indigenous Voice to Parliament – is nothing to do with them and so they have no interest in voting for it,” Ms Moon said.

“I was thinking that if Australians had a choice, like if Australians had a ‘No’ option on the ballot paper at a general election they’d probably choose it.”

Ballard said it was a “real … bummer” to see the woman celebrate. Picture: TikTok.

Later in the recording, Moon suggested the No vote was inevitable. Picture: TikTok.

The pair’s reaction follows the rolling wash-up from the referendum result, as Yes campaigners and allies lick their wounds after a gruelling and, at times, vicious campaign.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered an emotional speech on Saturday night immediately after the loss was called.

He said while the result was not what he had hoped for, he respected the decision of the Australian people.

Indigenous leaders have called for a “Week of Silence” to “grieve” the referendum outcome and to “reflect on its meaning and significance”.

Mayors across Sydney have confirmed the Aboriginal flag will fly at half mast on council buildings this week to recognise the “devastating” referendum result.

Meanwhile, ABC’s triple j radio station played Yothu Yindi’s protest song Treaty on repeat for the hour of rapper Nooky’s all-Indigenous music show Blak Out on Sunday evening.

Nooky, a proud Yuin and Thunghutti man, said in a statement on-air at the start of the show that he felt he had “let down” his Elders and future generations with the result.

“Last night was the most overt, unconcealed manifestation of racism I’ve ever experienced in my whole life,” he said.

“Yesterday they (Australia) said our pain and our suffering continues. The disadvantage and the inequality continues. But so does our love, our happiness, our strength and our pride.”