YOUR SAY: Will Senator Jacinta Price one day regret her Voice stance?

This was my reply to her.

Jacinta. I wonder as an Aboriginal woman who is promoting the "no" campaign, you will one day regret this stance. In the years to come when all the attention and razzle-dazzle has died down, will you ponder on what you have done for the First Nation people if the referendum is defeated? As a fourth generation Australian of Irish and Scottish heritage I greatly regret what has happened over the years to your people. I want to recognise our First Nation people in the constitution and provide them with advisory opportunities in the same document. Many people are grasping onto your opinions. Sadly, it is being said "Look. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders don't even want this". I love this country of ours and want to be proud of it, not ashamed.

My message to Jacinta was not delivered.

I believe that the "yes" vote supporters, rather than helping Indigenous Australians, are actually patronising them, lumping them together as a separate, homogenous group, every one of them likely to be suffering from poor health, lacking education, decent housing and job opportunities. To cap it off they are not able to look after and represent themselves and that is why they need an Indigenous Voice to the Parliament to speak for them.

The importance of the long term benefits of the "yes" case being defeated, was underlined by comments made by Myles Jerrard, a young Aboriginal man speaking with Andrew Bolt. Myles said he was voting no. This was because if the "yes" vote succeeded, it was enshrining in the constitution "that Aboriginal people are inherently disadvantaged". Myles went on to say he didn't want that for his children or generations to come.

I support Myles, as I believe Indigenous heritage people should be treated individually, as equal to every other Australian. And they should be encouraged to see that they have opportunities to improve their lives, but it is their responsibility and they should not rely on governments to do it for them.

MORE COMMENT

"A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?"

I am voting yes because this is a small and powerful step forward in our identity as a nation, to recognise our First Peoples. I am also voting yes because our First Peoples deserve an enduring advisory body to strengthen outcomes, and prioritise the future of culture and languages.

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