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Cake day: July 16th, 2023

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  • But all the lobbying has already happened - for decades - and nothing has changed. Fossil fuel companies have poured in billions over the course of decades, and still are, to counter lobby and spread misinformation to keep the status quo.

    You’re only seeing the ‘performative’ protesting in the media and not the lobbying because it’s easy to report on, but in reality this movement is on its last legs. It is THAT level of desperation now.

    Do you think they’d still be protesting if the government actually implemented the policies brought forward by climate scientists decades ago?







  • This is where the US is waves ahead of Australia. The indigenous population is small now (2%) but hasn’t always been, and we put them (and still do) through many, many atrocities… If you’re at all interested, check out indigenous deaths in custody. There’s also the constant destruction of their traditional heritage (birthing trees, rock art etc.). The stereotype here for an Aboriginal is that they’re drunkards and drug users. This is not reality but a huge majority think this.

    As a country, we have deep seated institutionalised racism that has taken root and flourished over the last few decades. We have this national way of thinking where the indigenous population needs to comply to our laws, our way of life. If an indigenous family wants traditional education, nah - go to one of the ‘normal’ schools. Want to learn an indigenous language? Nah, learn German or French or Japanese.

    We also have severe tall poppy syndrome where we can’t let anyone have it better than anyone else. Our Australia Day is also a huge issue since it’s on the day of the first colonists landing.

    All in all, we don’t have an equivalent because we have a rotten attitude to our first nations.


  • Wow. I just looked at the front page and that’s actually amazing.

    Short answer - no. Australia does not have such a thing, especially with that much support. We have some indigenous people in government but they represent their seat, not specifically indigenous affairs. There is currently no body that represents indigenous affairs as a whole.

    It can be established by the government of the day, which it was back when Kevin Rudd was our PM (Labor Party). However, this body was then abolished by the next government, run by Tony Abbott and others since (Coalition).

    Now, we have Labor in power again and this referendum was called to have a voice enshrined in our constitution so that it couldn’t be abolished by future governments. Since we nationally voted no, our current Labor government can establish something like the BIA, however there is a high risk that this will be yet again abolished like last time.




  • The referendum isn’t about recognition of the indigenous population. That was 1967, which overwhelmingly passed.

    This referendum was to add into the constitution that a body (a group of people) that represents the voice of indigenous and Torres strait Islander people must exist.

    That’s it.

    The obfuscation occurred when people expected more from it, which a constitution does not do. That’s a legislative power, which the current government of the time will then determine how the body is made up, how people will be chosen for the Voice etc. Additionally, there was a huge misinformation campaign and we have a media monopoly with an agenda here, so many, many people voted No as a result of the confusion.

    The No vote was very, very largely done in good conscience. I firmly believe that these voters want what’s best for Australia and I’m glad for that. I wish it was a Yes, but hopefully this will spur more conversation on what we can do to bridge the gap.