Ray Martin struggles to explain what the Voice will look like as he defends calling No voters ‘dinosaurs and d***heads’ – before Jacinta Price explains the real problem with his rant

Ray Martin has battled to clarify his controversial view that those following the No Campaign’s ‘if you don’t know, vote no’ slogan for the upcoming referendum are ‘dinosaurs and madheads’ – as Jacinta Price explains why Troublesome.

The veteran TV journalist tried to make his point in the Parliament referendum debate on Seven Spotlight’s Voice on Sunday night.

He appeared on the program alongside prominent campaigner and Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, “progressive” No campaigner and independent Senator Lidia Thorpe and Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy.

Martin, who made his comments at a Yes rally in Marrickville last month, strongly denied Spotlight presenter Liam Bartlett’s claim that he was “abusing people with a different opinion”.

“I didn’t say voters weren’t dinosaurs or their heads. I said those who vote no because they don’t know, that slogan is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard,” he said.

Veteran journalist Ray Martin (pictured) tried to explain what he meant when he implied that those who followed the No campaign slogan were “a dinosaur or a head”.

Bartlett countered that those who noticed the banner were, in Martin’s mind, a ‘dinosaur or new head’.

Martin then stated that Yes and No voters should be informed when they vote.

“You didn’t say that, you said No voter,” Bartlett replied.

‘No I didn’t. If you read my speech, this is not true. This is categorically not true,” said Martin.

He then agreed with Bartlett’s point that Austrians shouldn’t vote on ’emotion’, and added that Yes voters who didn’t watch the referendum properly were “even the heads”.

“I did not say no voter. If someone looks at the issue and decides to vote no, that is completely their democratic right,” he said.

The popular journalist then addressed the choice of words, saying the same language was used on talkback radio and ‘backyards’.

“That doesn’t make it right,” said Ray Bartlett.

Martin tried to explain his choice of words further before Senator Price came on.

‘Let’s be clear about the slogan. You’re a smart guy, Ray. The logic behind the slogan is quite clear,” Senator Price began.

Martin tried to further explain his choice of words before Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (pictured) chimed in

“When people are looking for answers to their questions about how this is all going to work, how people are chosen, we don’t know. We don’t know’.

More to come