Even the left now calling out ‘elite’ grip on voice to parliament

Senator Murray Watt speaks, Leeanne Enoch, and Jim Chalmers, and Yes Voice campaign supporters in Brisbane. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Much like other social media platforms, Reddit forums in Australia skew to the young and to the left.

With the average age of a Reddit user estimated at 23, it’s no surprise that political discussions often lean towards green-left perspectives. Nevertheless, recent discussions about the upcoming voice referendum have revealed a surprising mix of viewpoints within this demographic.

And what is intriguing is the number of individuals expressing a No stance for reasons that do not neatly align with traditional or conservative ideals.

“What a waste of time and money. Voting NO on this nonsense. Imagine if they put $364m into social services in Alice Springs,” wrote one commenter in r/AusFinance, a subreddit of nearly half a million members engaged in discussions about financial issues in Australia.

“Weird how every corporation is pushing yes. Drove past a rich area with no Aboriginal people and every second house has a yes sign nailed to their gate,” wrote another.

Although the left-wing No voter is a real phenomenon, their perspective has largely been missing from our media, with prominent No voices associated with the right side of politics. But not everyone who opposes the voice identifies as right-wing.

“I’m a leftist Aboriginal, and I have a lot of issues with this,” wrote one commenter in r/Australia, a forum of 1.4 million members, “Stop dividing us. We are one country.”

Much of the conversation in these popular online forums has focused on the perceived disjuncture of hosting a referendum during a cost-of-living crisis. “This won’t get over the line,” wrote a user. “The timing of it is so shockingly bad. People can’t afford to buy groceries or find suitable places to live, but this is top of mind for the government?”

Left-leaning No voters do not appear to oppose the voice because they are diehard constitutional conservatives, or because they lack compassion. It’s not about being racist either. Their frustration stems from the perception that the Labor government is not adequately addressing the issues that matter to them most, and is instead focusing on the higher-order matter of constitutional change.

And if there is one overarching theme that emerges from these discussions, it is that there is a divide in Australia, but it is defined by class and asset ownership – not race.

When figures such as Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull take selfies with Allegra Spender and Tanya Plibersek in support of the Yes campaign, it sends a message to ordinary Australians that, regardless of party lines, they belong to the same economic club.

That club is the urban, professional, asset-owning club that is very comfortable and cosy on the inside but, for those standing on the outside looking in, appears smug, self-congratulatory and exclusive.

This week, for example, a three-bedroom house situated on less than a quarter-acre of land within Spender’s (formerly Turnbull’s) electorate sold for $7.8m. To put that in perspective, the average pre-tax salary in Australia stands at $90,800. That means a modest dwelling on a small plot of land just sold for 85 times the national average wage.

In the context of promoting “social justice”, it is fair to ask what these politicians have done to address land availability and housing supply.

If such elected officials are unable to alleviate the challenges faced by regular Australian families today, how will they help Indigenous Australians tomorrow? And what material difference will a voice make? Those who are struggling are entitled to know.

The fact that corporate Australia is overwhelmingly in support of the voice simply furthers the perception that it is primarily a concern of elites.

“I won’t be swayed either by bullshit corporate activism endorsing a Yes vote by Qantas, Coles, the AFL, or any number of billion-dollar companies that couldn’t give a rat’s arse about everyday Aussies, Indigenous Aussies included,” wrote one commenter in r/Australia.

“More than 1600 people are becoming homeless each month in Australia,” wrote another. “Imagine being one of those people … And then remember you voted for (Prime Minister Anthony Albanese) based on his campaigning around the little guy and him being in social housing … And all he has done is harp on about the voice.”

The fissures within the left over the referendum today reflect broader fissures that are affecting left-of-centre parties around the world. Described by Thomas Piketty as the “Brahmin Left”, the highly educated, urban-professional classes who now dominate left-wing parties – including the ALP – have interests that are at times in conflict with their traditional blue-collar base.

Yet although Labor’s shift towards representing the Brahmin Left is largely irreversible, many of the old emotional associations with the underdog and the working classes remain. Therefore Labor must take extra care in order to avoid alienating those who are struggling, particularly during times of economic hardship. For this reason, the voice referendum should have been postponed.

Ultimately, left-wing No voters may end up deciding the voice’s fate. But more than that, they may also come to determine the length of the current government’s tenure.

“The number one issue in our country at the moment is housing and the cost of living,” as one commenter put it. “The government is out of touch.”