“Aboriginal leader rejects ‘paternalistic’ approach vote for indigenous people” | SCMP

Not a bad summary in today’s South China Morning Post. 

Megan Davis’ response (bottom left above) to Warren Mundine’s fair comments (his whole speech to the National Press Club in Canberra is here), is pure ad hominem: “Trumpian misinformation”. That’s it? From Davis, the co-drafter of the “Uluru Declaration”?  Note here that both Davis and Mundine are aboriginal. Davis is a lifetime academic; Mundine has been both a politician and an activist in indigenous welfare. 

The pity is that the invectives hurled, the hatred, the contempt, the ad hominem is all from the Yes side to the No side. None that I can find from the No side to the Yes side. There must be some, just that I’ve not seen it. The vast majority of insults are from the Yes side. Which is why you don’t see yard signs with the No vote. Yes-aiders call No voters all manner of horrid stuff: “racist”, “Nazis”, “small minded”, “stupid”, “Trumpian”; if it’s an aboriginal No voter, they toss in “Uncle Tom”, “House N***”, and “coconut” for good measure. It’s all been pretty ugly. 

The other prominent aboriginal No campaigner, Senator Jacinta Nampijimpa Price, has been a particular target of hatred. 

The vote is on Saturday 14 October. This coming Saturday fortnight. The polls suggest the No vote will win.