Indigenous Voice to Parliament outburst: Australians express frustration at lack of referendum details – putting Yes campaigner Dean Parkin on the scene
- Frustrated voter rants about lack of answers to vote
- The Yes23 campaign manager says he has ‘no confidence’ in the current indigenous aid
A leading Yes campaigner has admitted he doesn’t have ‘all the answers’ after a caller expressed his frustration on live radio at the lack of detail about what the Voice to Parliament would mean.
Appearing on 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Wednesday morning, Yes23 campaign manager Dean Parkin answered questions from ordinary Australians about what being a vote for The Voice actually means.
A frustrated caller, Tony, exploded at the lack of answers and details from both the Yes campaign and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
It comes just days after a RedBridge survey found the No campaign has taken a 56-44 lead over the Yes side.
Mr Albanese warned attendees at Saturday’s Garma festival with a poignant warning that the referendum would be the last chance to formally recognize Aboriginal Australians in the constitution for decades.
One of the biggest criticisms of the Yes campaign is the lack of detail on the Voice with Australians, which cuts out voting in support of the referendum.
Tony wondered if Mr Parkin had all the answers before the Yes campaigner had to admit he didn’t.
“If you don’t have all the answers, like I don’t, why vote Yes?” Tony asked.
“Every time I listen to the Prime Minister in parliament and he gets (asked) questions, he seems to sidestep the issue.
“While that happens, we have no confidence at all… if the questions can’t be answered, then why (should) we vote Yes and why (should) you vote Yes?”
Mr. Parkin replied, “Well, Tony, there’s a very simple answer to that.”
He said he has “no confidence” in the current infrastructure available to help Indigenous Australians.
He argued that a vote would empower Indigenous Australians to form infrastructure that could better help improve their lives.
“We’re failing in Native affairs right now,” Parkin said.
“Understand that if we keep doing what we’re doing now, we’ll continue to fail.
“We also know, Tony, that when you involve Indigenous Peoples in the decisions that affect our communities, when you allow us to participate in the responsibility for these changes in our communities, you get better results.
“That’s what the voice is about.”
A frustrated Aussie has railed against Yes23 campaign manager, Dean Parkin, about the lack of answers regarding the Voice referendum, asking ‘why (should) we vote Yes?’ (stock image)
Mr Parkin (pictured) stated he will vote yes because something needs to change about the ‘status quo’ in how Indigenous Australians receive aid
Mr Fordham followed up on Tony’s questioning saying it was ‘a bit of a furphy’ that there is no Indigenous representation as there were now many Indigenous MPs.
“None of them are directly elected by indigenous people from the communities,” Parkin said.
“None of them have that direct line of responsibility back to the community.”
His appearance on the show comes just days after the Yes campaign trailed the No vote by 12 points.
Opinion polls have shown that income and education divide voters.
Two-thirds of those with Year 12 and TAFE education plan to vote no, while 56 percent of graduates support the yes cause.
Similarly, two-thirds of people with an annual household income of less than $50,000 a year also plan to vote no.
The poll is proving to be a key indicator in the debate, as it is the first since both parties released campaign information brochures in July.