The Voice

[JohnDe]

Learn something new every day.

Racism, we were told, can be a trait only of white people because of the power differential.​

​

former Socceroo Craig Foster explained that he had been re-educated with a good dose of critical race theory. he had been newly schooled in Diversity Council Australia’s definition of racism. “racism can only be perpetrated against a marginalised person or group”.​

​

Years before the referendum, the voice and its associated demands had thrived inside law schools and within government-appointed working groups because the idea was not tested against commonsense legal and pragmatic objections. It thrived inside boardrooms, too, where normally savvy people were not game to ask to see the actual words before saying yes.​

​

Ordinary Australians asked the pertinent questions. Wouldn’t it be divisive to entrench racial privileges in the Constitution? Wasn’t this an attempted power grab by the same group of Indigenous players who have dominated Indigenous politics for decades, with little to show for it? Would the voice turn around decades of grievance culture or entrench it in perpetuity? How would it make one iota of difference to the people who most needed to be heard?​

​

The voice, and critical race theory, crashed head on into common sense.​

I cannot understand why people think that division and retribution is the cure to past historical errors. Segregation was the original historical horrors when dealing with people, but society learned, and we made amends. Only to do a 180 and see our intellectuals and academics to come up with a new way to split society and create race issues.

The most prevalent political chasm in our 21st-century society is between people who apply plain commonsense principles to a situation and those who apply a race, gender or religious filter over any given issue.

Though real filters are meant to sift out rubbish, these filters that were first fashioned by academics are more like a faulty funhouse mirror. They distort reality and occasionally provide a laugh.

So it was when some people of influence tried to tell us Sam Kerr could not have made a racist comment because only white people can do that. In the real world, normal people know any attempt to judge a person by the colour of their skin is racist.

This commonsense application of racism is why Martin Luther King’s dream still resonates. We will have a more cohesive and fair society if we strive to judge every single person not by their skin colour, gender or religion but by the content of their character.

If a cop or a cab driver or a co-worker does something dumb, by all means tell them so. You may be right or you may be wrong. But once you make a dig about their skin colour too, then you’ve done the dumb – and the wrong – thing.

Kerr denies calling the police officer who arrived on the scene to deal with a fracas following her vomit in a London cab a “stupid white bastard”. Kerr reportedly is planning to argue she didn’t use the word bastard.

That misses the point. If Kerr referenced the London bobby’s skin colour, that’s where she went wrong. And, after a public admonition, it should have ended there. Everyone has a bad day (or a vomitous night) and even the remarkable Matildas captain is human. On to the next issue, thanks very much.

But then some people from the worlds of sport, media and politics applied critical race theory to earnestly assure us a woman of colour (Kerr’s father was born in India) cannot be racist.

Racism, we were told, can be a trait only of white people because of the power differential. For some, King’s statement has become controversial.

An even more excruciating example of what happens when this theory runs amok in society came when former Socceroo Craig Foster explained that he had been re-educated with a good dose of critical race theory.

That took Foster on a wild ride from one dopey extreme to another. First he urged Football Australia to strip Kerr of the Matildas captaincy. Days later he explained that he had been newly schooled in Diversity Council Australia’s definition of racism. Apologising to Kerr, he said he now understood “racism can only be perpetrated against a marginalised person or group”.

If only critical race theory had remained percolating on the fringes of university campus cafes where, as John McWhorter from Columbia University has explained, it originated many decades ago.

McWhorter, who teaches languages, music and American studies, told a Manhattan Institute event on critical race theory in 2020 that “at the heart of critical race theory is an idea that all intellectual and moral endeavour must be filtered through a commitment to overturning power differentials”.

This theory gets thorny, he says, because where facts and efficacy and pragmatism conflict with the idea of overturning a power differential, “then the facts have to lose”.

McWhorter, who also writes for The New York Times, hosts Slate’s Lexicon Valley podcast and is contributing editor at The Atlantic, says espousing critical race theory has now become how some people tell their friends, fellow workers and the world that they are smart, moral and caring.

All of McWhorter’s observations so far sum up why some people twisted themselves in illogical knots to avoid labelling Kerr’s alleged comment racist.

Still, what else explains why many people have fallen for critical race theory?

McWhorter says tenets of critical race theory “sit very easily in the brain”. People can mention power differentials, discrimination, racism – not to mention “white privilege” as original sin – without really understanding what they mean. Just saying the words becomes an end in itself.

None of this is to say that discrimination and racism don’t exist but they rarely explain everything about Indigenous disadvantage or a large part of the dysfunction. But other factors such as cultural differences or the dire effects of grievance activism are too challenging for critical race theory. It wasn’t called a theory for nothing.

Its simplicity suited the arrival of social media. A tired and old theory soon became new and shiny in the virtue signaller’s paradise. It meant new proponents of critical race theory still rarely have to think about, let alone explain, what they mean.

McWhorter adds that the theory has stuck because if you do challenge it, you’re called a racist, especially on social media sewers, and no one wants to be called that. So, it’s easier to stay quiet, explaining why debate within the left has dried up.

Sound familiar? The debate about Kerr’s alleged late-night slur should have been a window into something deeper. It necessarily raises the question of how deeply critical race theory has saturated Indigenous politics in this country.

So, when on the weekend emeritus professor Greg Craven applied his obvious intellectual talents to point out the “great racial theory” behind recent claims that only white people can be racist, I was not alone in wondering why Craven didn’t apply those same intellectual talents when we were having a far more momentous debate about race last year.

After all, the voice was critical race theory writ large. Granting special race-based constitutional rights to a group of Australians on their race was publicly pitched as the necessary first step for reparations, treaties and sovereignty. If you couldn’t see critical race theory as a driver of the voice, you were not looking very hard. You need only have read academics such as Gabrielle Appleby and listened to legal wizards from the Albanese government’s constitutional expert group.

If you couldn’t see critical race theory in the reactions by some voice proponents to those who questioned the voice, then your head must have been buried somewhere in the sands between Bondi and Cottesloe beaches. I lost count of the times that white opponents were labelled racist for having a different view.

Years before the referendum, the voice and its associated demands had thrived inside law schools and within government-appointed working groups because the idea was not tested against commonsense legal and pragmatic objections. It thrived inside boardrooms, too, where normally savvy people were not game to ask to see the actual words before saying yes.

Ordinary Australians asked the pertinent questions. Wouldn’t it be divisive to entrench racial privileges in the Constitution? Wasn’t this an attempted power grab by the same group of Indigenous players who have dominated Indigenous politics for decades, with little to show for it? Would the voice turn around decades of grievance culture or entrench it in perpetuity? How would it make one iota of difference to the people who most needed to be heard?

The voice, and critical race theory, crashed head on into common sense.

Though the federal voice referendum is done and dusted, the canons of critical race theory remain embedded in myriad demands made just about every week by Indigenous activists and their supporters in politics, the media, the legal fraternity and corporate Australia.

That means the need to administer ever larger doses of common sense remains both constant and vital.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/power-politics-at-heart-of-sam-kerr-race-saga/news-story/cfd94283ed00d46c40392844b3e35452

 

[wayneL]

Lovely

 

[wayneL]

It's all happening by stealth

https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/toobeah-locals-fire-up-at-secret-plan-to-transfer-95-per-cent-of-tiny-outback-town-to-aboriginal-owners/news-story/289a55d5f0d0a687f4630b57c77f5bd3

 

[noirua]

Insincerity vs naivety ? .

 

[JohnDe]

The first elected representatives have been announced.

Listening to ABC radio last week, there has been difficulty getting people out to vote. A few of the voters said that they did not know what they were voting for.

First members of SA Voice announced as counting begins

The first representatives elected to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice have been announced in South Australia as counting in the nation-first elections gets underway.

The 14 people who were chosen to represent the Far North region and the Flinders and Upper North region were announced by the Electoral Commission of South Australia on Monday.

Voters from across SA went to polls on March 16 to elect 46 representatives across six regions in the first election of its kind in the nation.

The Far North region is the largest geographically and the most sparsely populated.

Just 301 formal votes were entered with Mark Campbell, Melissa Thompson, Johnathon Lyons, Dharma Ducasse-Singer, Dawn Brown, Christopher Dodd and Donald Fraser the winning candidates.

Mr Campbell received the highest share of support with 70 votes while Ms Brown received the lowest successful total of 11 votes.

In the Flinders and Upper North region there were 378 formal votes with Charles Jackson, Lavene Ngatokorua, Rob Singleton, Ralph Coulthard, Kerri Coulthard, Candace Champion and TJ Thomas prevailing.

Legislation enshrining the SA Voice passed the House of Assembly in March 2023.

The bill sets out six regional voices across the state, each with seven representatives to be directly elected by their local communities.

The Central region, which covers metropolitan Adelaide and has the highest population of eligible voters, will have 11 representatives.

Each local voice will have two presiding members, one female and one male, who will chair local meetings and act as their region's representatives in a 12-person state voice.

It will be the role of that state voice to directly advocate the concerns and ideas of the communities to parliament.

Counting in the Riverland and South East region and West and West Coast region is scheduled to start on Tuesday.

The Yorke and Mid-North region and the Central region will be counted on Wednesday.

13YARN 13 92 76

Aboriginal Counselling Services 0410 539 905

 

[farmerge]

The first elected representatives have been announced.

Listening to ABC radio last week, there has been difficulty getting people out to vote. A few of the voters said that they did not know what they were voting for.

Just another reason for more snouts in the taxpayers trough

 

[wayneL]

Just another reason for more snouts in the taxpayers trough

Kerry Packer's famous words re taxation have never been more valid.... and prescient.

 

[mullokintyre]

Apathy.
Early counting in the South Australian voice election shows a total of just 1048 Indigenous people voted in the APY Lands, Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, the Flinders Ranges, Whyalla, the Adelaide Plains and towns immediately south and east of Adelaide combined.
According to the Australian Electoral Commission, there are an estimated 27,534 Indigenous Australians enrolled to vote in SA. This has grown approximately 10,000 in the past six years.
However, about half of all Indigenous South Australians live in Adelaide and results for booths in the capital had not been published on Tuesday afternoon as counting continued. The electoral commission has published the counts and voter turnouts for three of the six regions in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people voted for preferred candidates on Saturday.

In the region known as Far North, which takes in the APY Lands, just 397 votes were cast. More than 2000 Aboriginal people live on the APY Lands but voter enrolment has been traditionally low compared to other less remote regions. In 2021, when the SA electoral commission conducted the most recent elections for the APY executive board, only 171 Aboriginal people voted.

The electoral commission had completed counting late on Tuesday for Far North and for two other regions outside Adelaide – Flinders and Upper North, where 349 votes were cast, and Riveraland and South East, where 302 votes were cast.

Mick

 

[farmerge]

Apathy.
Early counting in the South Australian voice election shows a total of just 1048 Indigenous people voted in the APY Lands, Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, the Flinders Ranges, Whyalla, the Adelaide Plains and towns immediately south and east of Adelaide combined.
According to the Australian Electoral Commission, there are an estimated 27,534 Indigenous Australians enrolled to vote in SA. This has grown approximately 10,000 in the past six years.
However, about half of all Indigenous South Australians live in Adelaide and results for booths in the capital had not been published on Tuesday afternoon as counting continued. The electoral commission has published the counts and voter turnouts for three of the six regions in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people voted for preferred candidates on Saturday.

In the region known as Far North, which takes in the APY Lands, just 397 votes were cast. More than 2000 Aboriginal people live on the APY Lands but voter enrolment has been traditionally low compared to other less remote regions. In 2021, when the SA electoral commission conducted the most recent elections for the APY executive board, only 171 Aboriginal people voted.

The electoral commission had completed counting late on Tuesday for Far North and for two other regions outside Adelaide – Flinders and Upper North, where 349 votes were cast, and Riveraland and South East, where 302 votes were cast.

Mick

Obviously they reckon it's not worth their time going to the polls.

 

[SirRumpole]

Apathy.
Early counting in the South Australian voice election shows a total of just 1048 Indigenous people voted in the APY Lands, Coober Pedy, Port Augusta, the Flinders Ranges, Whyalla, the Adelaide Plains and towns immediately south and east of Adelaide combined.
According to the Australian Electoral Commission, there are an estimated 27,534 Indigenous Australians enrolled to vote in SA. This has grown approximately 10,000 in the past six years.
However, about half of all Indigenous South Australians live in Adelaide and results for booths in the capital had not been published on Tuesday afternoon as counting continued. The electoral commission has published the counts and voter turnouts for three of the six regions in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people voted for preferred candidates on Saturday.

In the region known as Far North, which takes in the APY Lands, just 397 votes were cast. More than 2000 Aboriginal people live on the APY Lands but voter enrolment has been traditionally low compared to other less remote regions. In 2021, when the SA electoral commission conducted the most recent elections for the APY executive board, only 171 Aboriginal people voted.

The electoral commission had completed counting late on Tuesday for Far North and for two other regions outside Adelaide – Flinders and Upper North, where 349 votes were cast, and Riveraland and South East, where 302 votes were cast.

Mick

That just validates the eventual result.

 

[sptrawler]

That just validates the eventual result.

Now we just have to see the welfare card re installed and the Canberra politicians getting of their ar$e and doing something.
Maybe another cabinet meeting in Alice Springs would be good, rather than just ignoring issues, it's about time some of the underlying issues Australia is facing were addressed.
Is Linda Burney still working?
Somebody mentioned policy vacuums recently, well in the the last couple of years, policy vacuum pretty well nails it, apart from the inflation policy, that's working a treat for the rich and famous.
It wont be working well in Alice Springs, that's for sure, prices there will be eye watering.

Youth curfew announced for Alice Springs CBD following unrest

The Northern Territory government will declare an "emergency situation" in Alice Springs and send 58 extra police officers into the town after several violent incidents this week.

www.abc.net.au

 

[SirRumpole]

Now we just have to see the welfare card re installed and the Canberra politicians getting of their ar$e and doing something.
Maybe another cabinet meeting in Alice Springs would be good, rather than just ignoring issues, it's about time some of the underlying issues Australia is facing were addressed.
Is Linda Burney still working?
Somebody mentioned policy vacuums recently, well in the the last couple of years, policy vacuum pretty well nails it, apart from the inflation policy, that's working a treat for the rich and famous.
It wont be working well in Alice Springs, that's for sure, prices there will be eye watering.

Youth curfew announced for Alice Springs CBD following unrest

The Northern Territory government will declare an "emergency situation" in Alice Springs and send 58 extra police officers into the town after several violent incidents this week.

www.abc.net.au

They need to open a riot centre equipped with with water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets.

 

[sptrawler]

They need to open a riot centre equipped with with water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets.

The problem is Alice Springs isn't an isolated issue, most towns above the 26th parallel have similar issues, they need purpose and that is something you can't buy it has to be created.
That is foreign to politicians, it means creativity, work, commitment, responsibility and accountability.
You know all those things that politicians have spent 40 years getting rid of. Lol

 

[farmerge]

They need to open a riot centre equipped with with water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets.

Oophs 1st people would not be happy.

What I saw on the TV news tonight should have the sharp shooters out with the real deal and the low life's in their tracks.
When was it acceptable to try and destroy someone's premises and lively hood?
Were they full of turps or drugs or both. Doesn't matter just a waste of space and oxygen thieves to boot.

 

[IFocus]

The problem is Alice Springs isn't an isolated issue, most towns above the 26th parallel have similar issues, they need purpose and that is something you can't buy it has to be created.
That is foreign to politicians, it means creativity, work, commitment, responsibility and accountability.
You know all those things that politicians have spent 40 years getting rid of. Lol

Why don't you go up and tell them all what they are doing wrong like the last 100 years of whites doing the same eh.

How is that going?

There was a chance to change the conversation, you all voted not to and continue with the same failed methods.

That is what you all chose doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome (a sure sign of insanity).

Now they will lock up this generation so they can repeat the same again.

 

[sptrawler]

Why don't you go up and tell them all what they are doing wrong like the last 100 years of whites doing the same eh.

How is that going?

There was a chance to change the conversation, you all voted not to and continue with the same failed methods.

That is what you all chose doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome (a sure sign of insanity).

Now they will lock up this generation so they can repeat the same again.

A few words changes nothing, even if the voice had gotten up, it would have done no more than what can already be done.
Giving lip service to the issues, changes nothing, what has the Dept of Aboriginal affairs done since the Voice? But I bet from the Minister down, they have all been pulling a salary.
Not getting the Voice up, doesn't absolve them of their responsibility to do their job, well I wouldn't have thought it does, maybe you do?

I don't know where you worked, but where I worked dropping my bottom lip because something didn't go my way, wasn't a valid excuse for not doing my job.

 

[IFocus]

A few words changes nothing, even if the voice had gotten up, it would have done no more than what can already be done.
Giving lip service to the issues, changes nothing, what has the Dept of Aboriginal affairs done since the Voice? But I bet from the Minister down, they have all been pulling a salary.
Not getting the Voice up, doesn't absolve them of their responsibility to do their job, well I wouldn't have thought it does, maybe you do?

I don't know where you worked, but where I worked dropping my bottom lip because something didn't go my way, wasn't a valid excuse for not doing my job.

The failure to change doesn't affect me, just pointing out the bleeding obvious same complaints no change in dealing with the issue just breeding the next disfuncional generation.

 

[farmerge]

The failure to change doesn't affect me, just pointing out the bleeding obvious same complaints no change in dealing with the issue just breeding the next disfuncional generation.

and breeding well they are. You only have to go into shopping centres and the kids that should be in school being there.
I'm afraid I have no time or sympathy for these people. Just a blight on society and generally bludgers.

 

[IFocus]

and breeding well they are. You only have to go into shopping centres and the kids that should be in school being there.
I'm afraid I have no time or sympathy for these people. Just a blight on society and generally bludgers.

I understand not having sympathy but unfortunately it won't solve the problems.

 

[wayneL]

I understand not having sympathy but unfortunately it won't solve the problems.

Only they can solve their problems.

A little story:

My wife was shopping at the Centerpoint shopping centre in Midland yesterday (@farmerge you know the one).

A local indigenous fellow offered to help her take her shopping out and put it in her car.

She accepted.

The fellow was not after anything, it was just an offer to help. My wife thanked him and he went back to his friends who were hanging out there.

My dudes, this is how we do reconciliation. blackfellas just being kind to whitefellas... and whitefellas just being kind to blackfellas... Recognising each other as just "humans being".

Politics need not interfere.

What else to we need to see each other as brother and sister? Just shaking hands, or a plutonic hug... seeing that it is most often no more that a level of melanin which separates who we are?

(Pre Pascha Ruminations)