‘It’s a confusing message’: Star Olympian Jana Pittman is ‘struggling’ with decision on Voice vote

A star Olympian and now-doctor told Q+A that “confusing” messaging on the Voice to Parliament made it difficult to make an educated decision.

Former Olympic athlete Jana Pittman has said she still needs clarification about voting in the “confusing” Voice to Parliament referendum.

The now-doctor was joined by MamaMia editor Jessie Stephens, Labor MP Gordon Reid, Liberal MP Aaron Violi and Gratton Institute CEO Danielle Wood on ABC’s Q+A panel on Monday night.

She told the program she struggled to comprehend the ongoing debate and public discussion surrounding the referendum.

“I’m used to speaking to people on an eighth-grade level, but the discourse surrounding the debate is confusing,” she said.

Olympian and doctor Jana Pittman told Q+A that the messaging on the Voice to Parliament makes it difficult to make an educated decision. Picture: ABC

Despite being a PhD candidate, Dr Pittman admitted she needed to fully comprehend the concepts behind the Yes and No campaigns.

When asked about her vote by Q+A host Patricia Karvelas, Dr Pittman said she thought she was a “very strong yes,” but after hearing from other panel members, she now believed the Voice wasn’t what she “thought it was.”

“It’s a confusing message,” she said.

“I am well versed and read in this space and more so about the constitution with Gordon (Reid).

“I feel like it’s hard to make the decisions on behalf of people that I am not speaking for.”

After months of speculation, the date for the referendum will be officially announced on Wednesday when the Prime Minister visits Adelaide after leaving WA.

Recent polling suggests Victoria is the only state looking likely to back a Yes vote, while nationally, the No side is leading with 47 per cent, with the Yes side at 43 per cent.

The Yes campaign has been slipping in the polls. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Clarity, or the lack of it, surrounding numerous factors of the Voice has been a key point of contention among critics so far in the campaign.

Just last week, the head of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) sparked further confusion after suggesting that ticks will be counted as Yes votes, but crosses will not be counted as Nos on the day of the referendum.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said he would write to the AEC over what he called the “completely outrageous” situation.

Noel Pearson, an architect of the Voice, in June, advocated for a change in the presentation of the Voice to Parliament referendum.

He warned that the Yes movement had no clear message and had been tricked by the opponents’ misleading arguments.

Indigenous leader Noel Pearson said recognition is the key aspect. Picture Glenn Hampson

“I think that message has got to be even more prominent than the Voice. The Voice is just the means; the core of the reform is recognition,” he said.

“And our argument is that the Voice is the best means.

“Give our people a Voice to the parliament, to the government, and you will give us the best means of recognition. But the main point here is that we achieve recognition. That was the original motivation. When John Howard kicked the ball off in 2007, it was about recognition.”

Mr Pearson said the recognition was a “fundamental refocus that brings clarity to our campaign and our cause”.