YOUR SAY: Yay to volunteers, boo to fruit bats and lots of views on Voice

The weather in Wodonga was atrocious and these people deserve to be recognised for their effort on behalf of our community.

Also thank you to all the doctors, nurses, carers, police, ambos and community volunteers who continue to keep our community safe on a daily basis.

You all deserve more than just our thanks.

There are some deeply musky scents across the West Albury area, specifically Padman Drive area, which is being driven by the very healthy and ever-growing fruit bat population living alongside the Murray River.

Most pronounced is this smell on the most humid of days, which seem to be Albury's new weather pattern and depending which way the winds are blowing.

Pity it is not a pleasant musky aroma that may be found over the beauty counter, no!!

This is the very real "punch in the face" musky odour.

It not only lingers outside while you are enjoying the natural smells of your backyard, but also finds its way into your home, especially at night when you are trying to sleep and just want some pleasant cool breeze blowing through, but find yourself gagging on bat aroma.

Fruit bats beware!!! You have been put on notice, you stink so bad!!!

Can you not re-adjust your GPS back to your original home base?

IN OTHER NEWS:

Mr Dutton, leader of the Opposition, is opposing the Voice, thus displaying his intolerance and lack of understanding and empathy. I believe his unwillingness to support change for our Indigenous people is deplorable.

Seeing the "nodder and shaker", our own Ms Sussan Ley, deputy leader of the Opposition, nodding and agreeing with everything her leader says is extremely disappointing.

I urge Coalition MPs to demand a conscience vote on the Voice before others leave their ranks.

I am sure a lot of readers have been listening to and reading the comments of politicians and Indigenous political leaders on the Voice.

How about the media taking the time to go out to the rural and isolated Indigenous communities for the comment and opinions?

I am more interested in what they have to say. The media seem to segregate their reporting and articles into the haves and have nots.

The questionable leaders within the federal opposition appear to be afraid of the Voice, as a yes vote would undermine their controlling legislative authority and allow Indigenous communities to self-determine their individual future.

During the past 50-plus years I have understood and gained knowledge from various communities. All Indigenous communities are fully aware of their individual problems and issues, they also have the solutions.

Over the years governments with the use of broad general legislation have stifled any individual problem solving. A recent example was the "Intervention" Act 2007, which suspended the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, ended Indigenous permit control over access to Aboriginal land, abolished the Community Development Employment Project (CDEP) which led to the loss of family income, and replaced local organisations with government officials. Also, making welfare payments dependent on school attendance. All this has led to the loss of family income with the breakdown of community development and self-determination.

Voting "yes" to enshrine the Voice in the constitution will allow individual communities through elected regional representatives to bring local issues to the attention of the national body so that funds can be directed to where they are needed, without the risk of being legislated against by an insecure coalition party. Welcome back self-determination and a stronger future for all individual communities.

MORE COMMENT

The fact that those promoting an Indigenous Voice to Parliament stifle publication of opposing argument and rain emotional abuse upon those who raise valid questions, tells us that they have a dangerous hidden agenda.

These questions remain unanswered:

1. What will a Voice achieve that cannot be achieved at present?

2. Why are Indigenous Australians given a Voice that nobody else has? This is clearly a privilege given to one race to the detriment of others.

3. Once in the constitution, the wording is open to interpretation by the High Court. What guarantees can be given that an adventurous court will not interpret the wording in ways totally unacceptable to the majority of citizens?

4. What legal rights, property and land rights will the constitution provide exclusively to Indigenous Australians and what rights will be taken from other citizens to achieve that provision?

5. What powers of the federal and state governments will be diluted, removed or infringed by the constitutional change?

6. What will be the cost of this referendum and the subsequent cost of providing Aboriginal rights? Nobody should think of voting for the Voice without answers to these questions.

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