Indigenous TV host exposes the huge problem that’s been sparked by Anthony Albanese’s divisive Voice referendum: ‘People have been let off the leash’

The Voice to Parliament row has unleashed a tsunami of brutal racism across Australia, with one helpline flooded with calls since the debate began, Indigenous Australians claim.

The country will vote in the referendum on October 14, but indigenous and political leaders fear this has created a bitter rift that will take years to heal.

Wild insults and insults have been directed at indigenous organizations since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed to holding a public vote on the proposal.

“The toxic debate over the referendum has unleashed a wave of racist vitriol, both online and in real life,” said Channel 10 and NITV presenter Narelda Jacobs.

“It has become too personal, and for some it feels like it has become open season for racism.”

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce also told NITV show The Point that the referendum had “sparked things up”.

‘People get away with saying things that are completely out of line. This debate has given people the idea that they can now get away with it.’

Community nurse Bec Thompson told the show she was abused in a remote rural pub just because she had the Aboriginal flag sticker on her car.

“A middle-aged, gray-haired, white, middle-class lady came up to me and said, ‘Half-breeds like you need to go back to the mission,’” she said.

‘I think the debate around The Voice has given people the feeling that they have permission to just say it.

“I was happier when she came up with it herself.”

The crisis hotline for First Nations Australians, 13Yarn, says it has been inundated with calls for mental health help due to the rise in racism.

“The added stress of The Voice is overwhelming for that community,” said Marjorie Anderson, national manager of the hotline. She said calls had increased by 108 percent in the four months since the campaign started.

She said in addition to racist abuse, many Aboriginal Australians were questioned by non-Indigenous people on The Voice, adding to the stress.

“Often Aboriginal people don’t know what to answer,” Ms Anderson added.

“They don’t want to answer the questions in case they get abuse and the person has a different opinion than them.”

Karen Mundine from Reconciliation Australia says her organization is being targeted by racist trolls who call up and abuse their staff.

The row over Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Voice to Parliament has unleashed a tsunami of brutal racism across Australia, activists say

“We’ve had more and more people who feel like they can just call and say the most horrible things to staff who were just doing their job,” she said.

‘They don’t even campaign. They’re just doing their job.

“And I think it’s really sad that this kind of vitriol and hatred has been unleashed.”

Leading Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo has been the lightning rod for much of the abuse and recently revealed only some of the abuse he faced.

In addition to racist memes portraying indigenous people as “con artists,” “wife beaters” and “primitives,” he has also faced a series of personal threats, he said.

“People have been let go,” he told the BBC.

Leading Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo (right) was the lightning rod for much of the abuse

Community nurse Bec Thompson told the show she was assaulted in a remote rural pub just for having the Aboriginal flag sticker on her car

Marjorie Anderson of the crisis hotline for First Nations Australians, 13Yarn, says it has been inundated with calls for mental health help due to the rise in racism

Indigenous Olympic gold medalist and former politician Nova Peris says she has suffered from racism all her life, even encountering it in parliament two or three times a week.

“But you see it now: social media gives people a platform to hide behind,” she said.

She has joined Michael Long on the Long Walk to Canberra for the Voice and still believes the country can reunite in the wake of the Voice referendum.

“The reception we are getting is 90 percent positive,” she emphasized.

“It’s different to be able to hide behind social media or a phone than it is to come out and say it to someone’s face.

“This is about uniting this country. It’s an opportunity to make this country whole.

“I said: if White Australia recognizes us, you won’t lose your 250 years of history. You get 65,000. This is not division. This is about unity.’

Indigenous No campaigner Warren Mundine warned of the rise in racism in response to the referendum as voting day was confirmed last month.

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce told NITV show The Point that the decision to hold the Voice referendum ‘just stirred things up’

“This thing is about division and division in this country and the racist abuse that we’ve heard in recent months,” he said in August.

“Everyone knows the pressure that was put on me to send me into almost suicidal positions, and this is what this Prime Minister has done.

‘From day one, this Prime Minister has attacked and abused people who had a different opinion than him.

“And that opened the floor for the entire division to start dealing with all the horrible racist abuse, with all the horrible bigotry that’s going on out there — and it’s all Albo.

“He’s the one who started this, he’s the one who brought it out, and if he thinks the Voice is the answer to solve everything – this magic wand – then he’s not answering the real question.”

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that Mr Mundine’s claims about Mr Albanese are true, only that he made them publicly at a public press event streamed live on television.

Warren Mundine says ‘all the bigotry’ was the fault of the Prime Minister who had ‘attacked people who had different views than him from day one’

Ms Anderson of 13Yarn said change must come from the top and blamed politicians for causing the problem.

“There is a certain amount of racism in this country anyway,” she said.

‘To see this, the behavior of politicians that makes it okay for other people to behave this way, they have to look in the mirror and think about what they are doing.

“And think of the impact they have on already traumatized communities.”

The Prime Minister’s Office stressed that Linda Burney, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, had called for a respectful debate during a recent Question Time in Parliament.

“The mental health and wellbeing of all Australians is a top priority for this government,” a spokesperson for the Prime Minister told Daily Mail Australia.

“The Albanian government has announced $10.5 million to increase mental health services for First Nations people during the referendum campaign.

“This will promote wellbeing and provide additional mental health care to First Nations people, including in regional and remote areas.

“We encourage all Australians to participate in this referendum campaign in a respectful manner. It is a unique opportunity for constitutional recognition.”