Australia

[Dave from down under]

Not sure how the vote will go..

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-23/ ... /102133674

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the proposed question Australians will be asked at this year's referendum and the draft constitutional amendment that would enable an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Key points:
The government will introduce legislation with the question wording to parliament next week
It will be voted on by the parliament in June
The wording is broadly in line with the draft Mr Albanese revealed at Garma Festival last year
Mr Albanese said the Referendum Working Group had landed on the question:

"A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?"

As well as that, it will be put to Australians that the constitution be amended to include a new chapter titled "Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples".

The details would be:

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

1.There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
2.The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
3.The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.

[johnpcapitalist]

Not sure how the vote will go..

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-23/ ... /102133674

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the proposed question Australians will be asked at this year's referendum and the draft constitutional amendment that would enable an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

I am asking a straight question here because my knowledge of Australian politics is relatively minimal: is this controversial?

If it were proposed in the US, all the far-right loons would gin up massive amounts of outrage. But as far as I understand it, conservatives in Australia are much further left than the frothing right in the US. I know attitudes towards Aboriginal people were pretty bad back in the day, but I thought things have shifted over the last 30-40 years.

Would a vote come down to rural/urban lines, with urban folks being more progressive?

[Dave from down under]

We do have some rabid right wing politicians, but in general ours are more centralist.

As to the Voice
It’s a bit mixed
The electorate tends towards conservatism with the constitution, but more progressive with legislation.

I’m sure we will having the frothing intolerance out again (Cf response to Julia Gillard when PM).

[keith]

My take.

I think the Australian public is strongly in favor of giving First Nations a voice, but holdouts, especially in the opposition party see political opportunities in fomenting FUD.

Months before the Constitutional Question wording was formalized, the opposition leader was saying he wanted to support it, but what is it? Give us the details. Playing up to the fear of the hardcore deniers.

Constitutional referendums are very hard to get up in Oz. You need a solid bipartisan support to get a national majority and a majority in a majority of states.

I admit I'm uncomfortable with the wording. It gives Parliament the mandate to set up some kind of representative body to give voice to First Nations peoples. Which is fine. But Parliament has always had that power (not mandate). But significantly it does NOT require the Government to take any notice of that voice.

The Hawke government set up the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) in 1990 to give a voice to First Nations. The Howard Government dissolved it in 2004 and then 3 years later sent in the military to take over whatever autonomy the local communities still maintained.

So OK, after the referendum passes, they won't be able to disolve it. But they can still legislate it into irrelevance, and they can still ignore any advice they might offer.

I was hoping for something much more meaningful.

[keith]

OK. So this could go in several different threads, This is where the metaphorical coin toss ended up.

The sentiment expressed is necessarily the opinions of this poster.

[Dave from down under]

On buttered toast! Yum

[Dave from down under]

Oh happy day!!!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-24/ ... /102142928

Ex-NSW Labor minister Ian Macdonald gets 14-year jail sentence for corruptly awarding mine licence

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Yes! May the vibes from this conviction and sentencing create a tsunami that reaches the former guy.

[Dave from down under]

Consensus is hard..

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-24/ ... /102141612

Voice to Parliament referendum triggers different views among Indigenous Australians

[Dave from down under]

I’m one of those regional voters…

Off to the polling station after lunch

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-25/ ... /102143368

analysis
What role could regional crossbenchers play in the formation of the next NSW government?

For regional NSW, the campaign and last term of parliament has been set against the worst natural disasters on record, with devastating storms, flooding and fires.

[keith]

The losing incumbent NSW Liberal Premier just conceded defeat, heaped praise on his winning Labor opponent, accepted responsibility for the loss, expressed pride in the accomplishments of the Liberal Government over 12 years in power, declared that the Liberal party needs new blood, and announced that he would step down as leader.

WTF is that all about?

He didn't even claim the election was stolen, and didn't say he would be filing the election challenge lawsuit.

[RTH10260]

You mean to say - NO GRIFTING?

[Dave from down under]

No grifting
No calls to violence
Just the usual peaceful transition of power

[Azastan]

No grifting
No calls to violence
Just the usual peaceful transition of power

Ah, to go back to the good old days when people accepted defeat gracefully.

Hey you conservatives, why aren't THOSE the good old days to which you long to return?

[Dave from down under]

If you want to see concession/victory speeches etc

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-25/ ... /102143464

(Liberal = centre right, Labor = centre left, Nationals = right, Greens = Left - on the US spectrum they probably would all be called socialists/communists/marxists)

Lower house Labor has enough seats to form government.
Yet to see how the numbers tally in the upper house to see what deals will need to be done to pass legislation.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/n ... lc-results

[Dave from down under]

Mr Obama flew into Sydney yesterday with his wife Michelle on a private jet.

Mr Obama is set to speak at the city's An Evening with President Obama before heading to Melbourne.

[rossgw]

My take.
I think the Australian public is strongly in favor of giving First Nations a voice, but holdouts, especially in the opposition party see political opportunities in fomenting FUD.

They already have a voice, as much as every other Australian, then more. For example land councils, the National Indigenous Australians Agency, they have indigenous Members of parliament and Senators. The voice is a money and power by certain urban elite aborigines.

[keith]

My take.
I think the Australian public is strongly in favor of giving First Nations a voice, but holdouts, especially in the opposition party see political opportunities in fomenting FUD.

They already have a voice, as much as every other Australian, then more. For example land councils, the National Indigenous Australians Agency, they have indigenous Members of parliament and Senators. The voice is a money and power by certain urban elite aborigines.

No it isn't. It is nothing more than ensuring a representative body is enshrined in the Constitution.

The destruction of ATSIC and the subsequent military intervention by the Howard government had enormous impact on rural First Nations peoples than urban elites.

[Dave from down under]

My take.
I think the Australian public is strongly in favor of giving First Nations a voice, but holdouts, especially in the opposition party see political opportunities in fomenting FUD.

They already have a voice, as much as every other Australian, then more. For example land councils, the National Indigenous Australians Agency, they have indigenous Members of parliament and Senators. The voice is a money and power by certain urban elite aborigines.

Yes - they have representation as other constituents.

However - Native Title etc legislation requires additional engagement - when seeking consensus on national issues it makes sense to have a single consultative body for the ~600 nations that are within the Commonwealth of Australia.

The voice doesn't need to be enshrined in the Constitution, however the Voice is needed.

[rossgw]

However - Native Title etc legislation requires additional engagement - when seeking consensus on national issues it makes sense to have a single consultative body for the ~600 nations that are within the Commonwealth of Australia.

They also have that
"What does the National Indigenous Australians Agency do?
Our purpose
The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) works in genuine partnership to enable the self-determination and aspirations of First Nations communities. We lead and influence change across government to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a say in the decisions that affect them."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_ ... ans_Agency

[Foggy]

No grifting
No calls to violence
Just the usual peaceful transition of power

Boring.

[Dave from down under]

No grifting
No calls to violence
Just the usual peaceful transition of power

Boring.

It has got a bit more interesting!!!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-28/ ... /102152726

"Chris Minns has been sworn in as NSW Premier, but his government will likely need to work with the crossbench, with Labor now looking like it will struggle to get a majority in the lower house.

Vote counting will continue today, and several seats remain too close to call.

Three independent members of the crossbench last night guaranteed to give the premier-elect "confidence and supply" in the event he does not secure the remaining seats.

Mr Minns said independent member for Sydney Alex Greenwich, Member for Wagga Wagga Joe McGirr, and Greg Piper, the Member for Lake Macquarie, all approached him. "

The lower house seats should be determined by the end of the week.
Final numbers in the upper house may take weeks to determine (assigning preferences).

[keith]

Mr Obama flew into Sydney yesterday with his wife Michelle on a private jet.

Mr Obama is set to speak at the city's An Evening with President Obama before heading to Melbourne.

I reported on the Sydney speach here: Obama Branching Out

I almost got SWMBO convinced to go to the Melbourne speech, but I had to tell her that the only tickets left were north of $500 and she baulked.

[Dave from down under]

Mr Obama flew into Sydney yesterday with his wife Michelle on a private jet.

Mr Obama is set to speak at the city's An Evening with President Obama before heading to Melbourne.

I reported on the Sydney speach here: Obama Branching Out

I almost got SWMBO convinced to go to the Melbourne speech, but I had to tell her that the only tickets left were north of $500 and she baulked.

$500+ is a bit steep.. ah well.

[keith]

Mr Obama flew into Sydney yesterday with his wife Michelle on a private jet.

Mr Obama is set to speak at the city's An Evening with President Obama before heading to Melbourne.

I reported on the Sydney speach here: Obama Branching Out

I almost got SWMBO convinced to go to the Melbourne speech, but I had to tell her that the only tickets left were north of $500 and she baulked.

$500+ is a bit steep.. ah well.

They started at 300 but those were all sold out.