Campaigners for the ‘no’ vote in the upcoming Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum have revealed their plans to target those who also voted ‘no’ during the same-sex marriage plebiscite.
Warren Mundine, leader of the ‘Recognise a Better Way’ campaign, recently spoke out about strategy to push for a ‘no’ vote in the lead up to the referendum.
This strategy, according to Mundine, entails utilising data from the 2017 Same Sex Marriage Plebiscite to target the communities and parts of Sydney which also voted strongly against marriage equality.
Tapping into the ‘unheard majority’
These communities, as Mundine points out, are largely made up of religious and migrant community members.
“That’s why we’re choosing the mosques, Hindu communities and temples and the like,” Mundine says.
“Even though I was a yes voter for same-sex marriage, we saw the polling from the plebiscite.
“In western Sydney, it was 70% against because of their religious beliefs and conservatism, and so we’re going to sit down and have a chat to [those communities].”
Mundine also goes on to say that this strategy allows for a way to tap into the “unheard majority”, which he claims represent an often ignored demographic.
“We’re very respectful to them and we go and listen to them, and they want to hear what we’ve got to say,” he says.
‘No’ campaign using Trump-style politics?
The news comes just one week after Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, accused the ‘no’ campaign of employing “Trump-style politics”.
“The voice referendum is one big opportunity to take Australia forward,” Burney said in a speech at Parliament house.
“It is symbolic and practical,” she continues.
She also goes on to point out that the aim of the ‘no’ campaign is to polarise people.
“I fear that the no campaign is importing American-style Trump politics to Australia. At its heart is a post-truth approach to politics.
“Its aim is to polarise people. And its weapon of choice is misinformation.”
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