Some in the yes camp believe division is best contained by starving the no campaign of oxygen. The Canberra Times reports what it calls “a growing view” that the commonwealth should not fund the no case, as it would customarily do. “The prospect of a divisive referendum, potentially descending into racist rhetoric, is worrying yes campaigners,” it reported last month. “There are strategic, as well as moral, reasons for opposing funding.”

Greens leader Adam Bandt told the paper Labor must “avoid creating further division” during the referendum. “The Australian government shouldn’t fund racism,” he said. “The marriage equality plebiscite drove division in our community and I don’t want to see the same mistakes repeated as we come together to seek First Nations justice.”

Facebook has thrown its algorithmic might behind the cancelling campaign. Senator Jacinta Price and academic Anthony Dillon are two Aboriginal voices censored by Facebook, as I wrote in this column last week. Big Tech appears intent on silencing the no case as effectively as it shut down the no case for lockdowns, the no case for vaccine mandates and the no case for Joe Biden at the 2020 presidential election.

The Prime Minister still has time to stop the referendum splitting the nation, but he needs to act quickly and decisively. He should quietly tell corporate boards and chief executives to pipe down. Less privileged voters don’t take kindly to being hustled at the ballot box by woke capitalists who look down at them as racist.
...
Albanese cannot allow his judgment to be skewed by partisanship as it was in 2013 when, as local government minister, he was responsible for planning a referendum to recognise local government in the Constitution. He granted $10m to the yes case to run an education campaign and $10m more to the Local Government Association, which was in favour of constitutional recognition. The no case received a measly $500,000. He would be wise not to pre-load the voice to parliament debate in such a crude and obvious fashion.
Nick Cater



I have not seen any stronger arguments for voting “yes” than Linda Burney’s contention that “it is the right thing to do”. The 'yes' cases sole argument against "no" is that it is racist.

When FB takes sides you know you must be on the opposing side to whatever Zuck is for.

Frank wrote on Oct 10^th, 2022 at 8:04am:

Americans' greatest cultural obsession is eternally lecturing on utopian idealism - sometimes they even lecture each other - despite their relatively low ranking in cultural indexes on freedom and ethnic relations.

Like a preacher, who's just let off a stinking, silent fart, lecturing passers-by on the stench of immorality.

Perhaps this should be the new Welcome to Country? 

@nogulagsagain

I acknowledge and pay my respects to the British and European elders past, present and emerging, who introduced civil society and prosperity to Australia.

Karnal wrote on Oct 10^th, 2022 at 1:21pm:



Well - the Pakis haven't managed to fit in fully yet and even begin to understand the ways of their new country... anyone with dual citizenship should be restricted to menial jobs only - wetback economy - no businesses, no fancy titles, no jobs in the public service, and especially no elected office.

Better they be second class citizens than the descendants of those who came here and built the country so desired by the Third Worlders.  Jeez - even my lovely doctor is a Sri Lankan and she wouldn't go back for quids with all the Mussos killing her family friends in church bombings and such and the endemic poverty.

Appreciate what you've got Ten Pound Paki.......  my ancestors paid full fare to come here.... and settle the country... and build it up.

Jesus - DNA - I'm even remotely related to Paul Large killed at Long Tan.... been here so long it looks like freedom to me.... while every bastard is cutting a steak out of it and wrecking it for future generations.

Grappler Truth Teller Feller wrote on Oct 10^th, 2022 at 1:33pm:


And mine paid to come by ship, dear.

To which Pakis do you refer? Which ones have not fit in?

Or do you mean the entire Pakistani race?

Oh-er, that's a bit rude. You'll have the old boy chasing you around for not being suitably culturalist.

Shurely shome mishtake, no?

"leave them to the savages, lets get the hell out of here"

  https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/nt-nurses-stoned-after-cops-forgot-them...

thegreatdivide wrote on Oct 13^th, 2022 at 1:49pm:


I take it you would prefer murderers and thieves and thugs and wife-bashers and child beaters to just go free?

Always the same - rant and rave and ad hom and never once give a valid answer on HOW to solve the problems.  Best you leave it to those who have an idea.  Would you be happy to offer the same privileges of non-imprisonment and handouts to Neo-Nazis of the Third Kind... or only apply those non-standards to the Cheeses because some of them choose poverty and degradation as their life style?

BTW - I once met a nephew of General 'Big' Minh ... the nephew was a six footer as well.

Karnal wrote on Oct 13^th, 2022 at 10:38pm:


Well, Mish Moneyfunny...when the empire ruled there were lawsh and rulesh.... everyone who mattered had a voishe...... just a few more yearsh under colonialism and all the fringe groupsh would have known the rulesh and the world would be a better plashe.