Foxy,

"Some people had doubts about same sex marriage - yet that legislation passed."

That was an opinion poll not a referendum and would not have happened had there been a referendum on the matter, that's why its protagonists shied away from having a referendum (plebiscite).

By now you should be wary of opinion polls, ref the last election when I tipped a Liberal win despite the polls and I'll be right again.

For the life of me, I can't see what the purpose of yet another 'voice' would be if not to comment (i.e. demand favourable changes) on any proposed legislation - well, on any matter which might affect indigenous people really - but precisely to act as a de facto Third Chamber. That's its purpose, as far as I can tell.

Thousands of organisations. Voices. TV and radio stations and newspapers and journals. Voices. Committees galore. Voices. Advisory bodies in every jurisdiction, including many local governments. Voices. Seven hundred thousand Indigenous people, each with a voice.

Asking for what ? More than equality ? Superior rights ? Not with my vote, unless someone explains (please, Foxy, not you again !) what the hell it means.

Yes, yes, I know - if you have to ask, you don't know. And if you know, you don't have to ask. You know where you can put that arrogant claim, ideally written on sandpaper.

Joe

We can continue to argue on this topic.

However it will be up to the Australian people
to decide on this issue.

Australia is a blessed country.

Our climate, our land, our people, our institutions
rightly make us the envy of the earth, except for one
thing - we have never fully made peace with our First
Australians. This is the stain on our soul that Prime
Minister Keating, so movingly evoked at Redfern more than
21 years ago - we need to atone for the omissions and
for the hardness of heart of our forebears to enable us
all to embrace the future as a united people.

cont'd ...

Even the English give credit and recognise
their Celtic ancestry connections.

Foxy,

For god's sake, Australia does recognise its 'Aboriginal roots', and has done so for decades.

The Aboriginal Flag is a fully-recognised Australian Flag. I see an Aboriginal Flag every day, in front of schools and council chambers and government buildings, in Victoria Square here in Adelaide, and I'm pretty sure you do too, somewhere in your city.

NAIDOC Week has been going since the fifties. There isn't an Anglo-Australia week, or a European-Australia Week, or an Asia-Australia Week, and I don't think there should ever be.

We're all free to watch NITV, and to read the Indigenous Times or Koori Mail.

So how is the 'voice' of Indigenous people going unheard ? Of course it is heard, but that doesn't necessarily mean that everybody has to agree with it. Is that what is meant by 'Voice': that everybody must listen and agree with whatever is said ? Whenever Indigenous people get around to saying something that we haven't already heard ?

In fact, I wish to god that Indigenous spokespeople would articulate what they really want that they don't already have, and to which they are entitled, like any other Australians.

Joe

ISSY, LOUDMOUTH,

Good on ya' both.
That's exactly what these belligerent, irritating, know-alls need.
A reality check!
It is so completely incomprehensible as to how any, even half conscious human beings, can be so stubborn and belligerent.
I am pleased to read you both have open and inquisitive minds, and are critical of perniciously, pugnacious people such as this lot.
Love both your thinking.