Shane Howard of rock band Goanna hands back Order of Australia medal over Voice referendum result

The man who wrote the Australian rock classic Solid Rock has returned his Order of Australia medal in dismay over last weekend’s referendum on a First Nations vote.

Goanna frontman Shane Howard wrote the song, which speaks about the dispossession of First Peoples in the early 1980s.

On Wednesday, Howard sent his medal back to Governor General David Hurley, along with a letter, saying he cannot be proud of the country at this point in history, having missed an opportunity with the failed referendum.

“Fundamentally this is Aboriginal country,” he wrote.

Goanna frontman Shane Howard (pictured) has had his Order of Australia medal returned over the failed Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum

“First Nations people saw ice ages come and go.

‘Ancient song lines recreate the deep history of the oldest continuous culture and spirituality on earth.’

Howard said when he wrote Solid Rock forty years ago he wanted to tackle the fundamental lie at the heart of Australia’s national story.

“I dreamed of a country that respects our ancient history and is honest about our modern history,” he said.

‘Colonization was cruel to Aboriginal people and the pain is deep.

“The prosperity and privilege we enjoy in this country is the result of immeasurable suffering, unconscionable theft and abuse of First Nations.”

Howard (pictured centre) said he ‘can’t be proud of my country’ after the Voice referendum disaster

Howard said the referendum campaign used deliberate and well-resourced disinformation networks.

“I am also deeply disturbed by the way our First Peoples, our brothers and sisters, our friends, have been so belittled, with such pernicious vilification, in the interests of political power, that it is neither generous nor decent,” he said.

“I love my country of birth dearly, but until we break free from our colonial shackles, engage in meaningful truth-telling and reality-building with our First Peoples, and begin the journey toward a post-colonial republic, I cannot be proud of my country. ‘

Howard said Tuesday he felt compelled to make his voice heard amid a barrage of “misinformation.”

“What else can I do, I’m an artist,” he told the newspaper ABC.

‘I faced a huge amount of abuse that was very intimidating and sometimes things that were very, very racist through social media.

“I would say this is the first time we’ve seen Brexit or Trump-style politics play out in the Australian political landscape.”

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