Australia Votes 'No' to The Voice, Opposition, Predictably, Calls for PM to Resign, and Now We Know Where the Racists Live!

Hand placing a vote into a vote box with people's faces behind and the word 'no' overlaid in red.

The Australian people voted 'No' to The Voice, a reform to the Australian Constitution that would have recognized our first nation people and would have set up an aboriginal advisory committee that couldn't be disbanded by successive governments without a referendum.

The committee would've advised the government of the day on issues affecting first nation people but the government would be under no obligation to act on that advice. Which could, maybe, lead to problematic differences of opinion if a government continually ignored advice, but that eventuality could happen.

Our country's government opposition, being the weak minded dead weight that all oppositions seem to be these days (yes, I'm including the current government when they were in opposition in that statement), predictably called for the Prime Minister to resign. As if keeping an election promise was something to be shamed for just because the outcome wasn't favorable.

Just once, for at least one term, I would like an opposition to have as its catchphrase 'we're working with the government to ensure the best outcome for all Australians'.

That's not to say an opposition can't do what oppositions do and... you know... oppose but it just seems that is the default position. Let's focus on everything we oppose, give that all the media attention, instead of working on the things that might just make the country a better place to live.

Outwardly it seems like there is no middle ground on government policy anymore. Oppositions are there to oppose and that means they have to oppose everything.

Wouldn't it be refreshing if we saw an opposition that actually provided real commentary on proposed government policy, stating what they liked, and clearly explaining changes they'd like to see and why?

Instead we get this ridiculous opposition to everything along with daily calls for government ministers to resign because they failed to provide enough red crayon's in the daycare center during question time, and the Speaker of the House would not share their crayons with anyone.

If you're an elected member, regardless of whether your party is in government or not, your first priority is to ensure the best out comes for the people on the issues of the day. You don't even have to be in government to propose policy changes.

Granted it's a lot harder to change policy from a position of being in opposition, or as an independent with no deciding vote, but you can certainly do far more than simply oppose everything. Generally it works in everyone's favor when all elected members are seen to be working towards positive change.

Let's have more of that!

I realize that this isn't really the take away to be learned from The Voice referendum. As someone who supported the movement by voting 'yes' I kind of hoped maybe the loudest voices against it would be drowned out by a pro silent majority on the day but it was not to be.

What we have now is a clear marker that the country overall doesn't support first nation people issues.

Even if your 'no' vote was a vote for 'not this but I do support improving the lives of first nation people' or, 'not this because it doesn't go far enough, we want a treaty', or 'not this because I think this will divided the nation rather than unite it', that nuance will distill down into 'the country generally won't support first nation people policies' so it'll be harder to bring them up.

For me a yes vote was a no brainer. If you're an aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, even if you didn't think the voice went far enough or was some how devicive (despite that division already being present, you either identify as a first nation person or you don't), a yes vote would've made future policy easier to at least put on the agenda than it is now with a no vote.

But at least we know which electorates are the most racist now... see what I did there? Distillation.

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