'Reconciliation is dead': Indigenous Australians vow silence as referendum fails

Re:'Reconciliation is dead': Indigenous Australians vow sile... by tivert on Thursday October 19, 2023 @05:42PM (#37949116)

> Basically harmless except it could've guaranteed Indigenous Australians would have a say in the future of the country violently stolen from them, instead of continuing to be disenfranchised.

Are Indigenous Australians denied the right to vote in modern-day Australian elections? Are there special constraints on their political activity that do not apply to other Australians (like being unable to serve in Parliament or being forbidden to contact their MP about issues that concern them)?

If they aren't denied those rights, do other groups in Australia already have special representative bodies that "guarantee... [their group has] a say in the future of the country"?

> It has nothing to do with proving genetic heritage to get special treatment.

What would the qualifications for someone to sit on the proposed "Voice"? Would all Australians eligible, or just certain ones?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:'Reconciliation is dead': Indigenous Australians vow sile... by rainonmoon on Thursday October 19, 2023 @10:27PM (#37951664)

Hey friend, the answers to your questions are immediately accessible via the world wide web, but seeing as how I actually live in this country and have endured damn near a year of this dogwhistling quasi-rhetorical inquiry that you mistakenly believe was novel enough to chip in, I'm gonna let you find your own way to it. Or not. But this "debate", which never should've been a debate in the first place, has lost its charm. I hope one day you fix your heart.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:'Reconciliation is dead': Indigenous Australians vow sile... by tivert on Friday October 20, 2023 @12:44AM (#37952458)

"Friend," your non-answer answered all my questions.

Basically, it sounds like Indigenous Australians aren't actually disenfranchised (or you've counter-intuitively re-defined "disenfranchised" to mean "not extra-enfranchised"), and this body would have unequally granted certain racial groups extra power and influence in the government based on race alone.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:'Reconciliation is dead': Indigenous Australians vow sile... by pauldenton on Thursday October 26, 2023 @05:25AM (#38023472)

As a Canadian Aboriginals getting free post secondary education here seems like they are getting extra privileges rather than equal treatment under the law. As former British colonies why don't we just treat everyone equally instead of tracking race through bureaucracy and hiring or firing on the basis of race. Deciding the price of government services entirely on the basis of race?

[ Parent | on HN ]