Looking forward from the failed referendum on The Voice to Parliament, everyone seems to be talking about how to find some positives after the result. It’s definitely time for a lot of thinking and rethinking. As I digest the result, I’m thinking about what it all means. There's quite a bit to say and it’s definitely time for thoughtful length rather than the slogans and catch phrases we’ve endured over the last few months. Despite the setback, lots of change is still happening. From my personal experience working alongside the community languages activists for some 15 years as they laboured to revive and maintain their First Nations languages there are many specific examples of positive changes. I can't see a failed referendum stopping their work. Their positive and practical spirit had a deep impact on me. These were people building an Australia for the future, drawing on the best parts of the past and overcoming the worst. They were some of the most impressive people I have ever met. I still remain close to many of them and I will remember them to my dying day.
Change at the level of Parliament and the Constitution seems – as has almost always been the case – to be too hard for Australians. The problem is that whenever any change to deal with the complexities of the modern world is proposed, big money is unleashed to protect power and privilege. As Bob Dylan observed ‘money doesn't talk, it swears.’ On top of those who weren't convinced of the merits of the proposal anyway, I suppose the outcome is not that surprising.
Shortage of knowledge and bullshit detectors
Too many Australians didn't have the knowledge of Australian history, of Indigenous communities or of how Government works. More importantly they didn't have enough of the learned critical skills to see through the expensive marketing campaigns, so they ended up marketing victims. It used to be said that Australians had an inbuilt bullshit detector, but that itself is the biggest piece of bullshit I've heard.
Yet, despite this, lots of change is still happening. From my personal experience there are many specific examples of positive change, quite a few which come down to the community languages organisations, at both local level with dual naming, but also nationally through the work of First Languages Australia.
It was their efforts working with the ABC which saw local radio call signs duplicated in the relevant local language. They have had a slow, step by step and unheralded impact working at the coal face of language, building partnerships with civil society organisations and Government agencies. They were instrumental in getting progress on languages added to the Closing the Gap measures.
‘I worked closely with these community activists for over six years in Government and closer to 15 years in all, as they laboured at reviving and maintaining their ancient languages. Their positive and practical spirit had a deep impact on me. These were people building an Australia for the future, drawing on the best parts of the past and overcoming the worst.’
Positive and practical spirit
I worked closely with these
community activists for over six years in Government and closer to 15
years in all, as they laboured at reviving and maintaining their ancient
languages. Their positive and practical spirit had a deep impact on me.
These were people building an Australia for the future, drawing on the
best parts of the past and overcoming the worst. They were some of the
most impressive people I have ever met. I still remain close to many of
them and I will remember them to my dying day. This is a part of the story of the broader impact they have had across Australia, as seen through my eyes:
The hidden universe of Australia's own languages
‘I’ve travelled around much of Australia, by foot, by plane, by train and by bus, but mostly by car. As I travelled across all those kilometres and many decades, I never realised that, without ever knowing, I would be silently crossing from one country into another, while underneath the surface of the landscape flashing past, languages were changing like the colour and shape of the grasses or the trees. The parallel universe of Indigenous languages is unfortunately an unexpected world little-known to most Australians’, The hidden universe of Australia's own languages.
Saving the farm – recognising Indigenous languages part of salvaging community
‘The end of the year – after a bumper 24 months of disasters – is a time of closure. Many things have changed and many more will change – hopefully mainly for the better. In particular people who have made major contributions to Australia creativity and culture are moving on from their roles to take up new interests or interests they have been too busy to pursue. This is particularly the case in the arena of First Nations languages, where the recognition amongst Australians generally of the importance of languages and culture is part and parcel of salvaging community – for everyone’, Saving the farm – recognising Indigenous languages part of salvaging community.
Silencing The Voice
I suspect we may not hear much about The Voice again. We’ll possibly see younger activists step up as older ones step back. I’d expect more direct action and lots more legal challenges, especially in international forums. While The Voice would have been a step forward, it was a very mild proposal. I wonder if the opponents realise the full implications of their victory, it may make it is less likely that Dutton will ever get elected and the defeat will probably channel all energy into more radical and less accommodating directions – and is that a bad thing?
In an article in The Monthly just before the referendum, George Megalogenis argued that there were serious political risks for those pushing loudly for a no vote. In ‘Demographics and the Voice’ he commented ‘The point made repeatedly to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in his private discussions with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and in the solicited and unsolicited advice from Liberal colleagues, was that bipartisanship was in the Coalition’s interests. Opposing the Voice risked further alienating the former Liberal voters who threw out Scott Morrison’s government at the last federal election. They would hold Dutton personally responsible for the failure of the referendum. And those who vote against the Voice won’t necessarily mark their ballot paper for the Liberals ahead of Labor at the next election, due in 2025. “Yes” won’t forget, while “No” will move on.’
‘I wonder if the opponents realise the full implications of their victory, it may make it less likely that Dutton will ever get elected and the defeat will probably channel all energy into more radical and less accommodating directions – and is that a bad thing?’
The article concluded ‘If “Yes” wins, he loses. If “No” wins, he loses anyway,’ is how a senior Liberal put it to me. It says something about the opposition leader that his friends and rivals would seek to convince him on the basis of the raw politics rather than any higher moral purpose. In choosing to campaign against the Voice on behalf of a shrinking part of the electorate, Dutton has risked turning the party of Menzies, which governed Australia for 51 of the past 74 years, into a protest party of permanent opposition.’The article is only for subscribers but you get to read one article free each month – make it this one.
A couple of years ago I was invited to a forum in Brisbane to look at the potential for a strategy based around cultural rights. I wrote about it at the time. Whether it will go anywhere is hard to know but it points towards some potential directions things might move.
Changing the landscape of the future – a new focus on cultural rights
‘The arts and culture sector has spent far too many years pressing the case for why Australian culture is crucial to Australia’s future, without seeming to shift the public policy landscape to any great degree. Perhaps a proposed fresh approach focusing on cultural rights may offer some hope of a breakthrough. What makes this approach so important and so potentially productive is that it starts with broad principles, linked to fundamental issues, such as human rights, which makes it a perfect foundation for the development of sound and well-thought out policies – something that currently we sadly lack’, Changing the landscape of the future – a new focus on cultural rights.
‘Government can cause a lot of damage if it doesn’t know what it is doing. But when it is well-informed and focused, it can change lives and change countries for the better.’
In the lead up to the referendum I commented that there was a reason I would be voting emphatically yes. Many years ago I was at a family birthday party at a football club in Canberra. I looked around at all the people enjoying themselves and I thought this didn’t just happen. Someone – in this case, a family member – made it happen. It struck me that every day, in every community across Australia this sort of thing was happening.
When for many years I used to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members reviving and maintaining their ancient languages I saw the same positive and practical community spirit I saw at that family birthday.
Government can cause a lot of damage
Government can cause a lot of damage if it doesn’t know what it is doing. But when it is well-informed and focused, it can change lives and change countries for the better. Government has hundreds of committees and other bodies set up to advise it – to ensure it doesn’t stray off the rails and ignore people who actually know something about a matter. It helps focus its efforts and make the best use of the money Government spends.
‘All these disparate voices don't even begin to include all those extremely well-paid voices to Parliament and Government – the professional lobbyists and industry associations – that have been heard everywhere in Government forever.’
The Voice to Parliament was different only in the fact that it would take account of the unique nature of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the original inhabitants of this land. In all other respects it would have been simply an advisory committee to the elected Parliament, which as always makes the decisions about what Government does and how money is spent.
All these disparate voices don't even begin to include all those extremely well-paid voices to Parliament and Government – the professional lobbyists and industry associations – that have been heard everywhere in Government forever. They'll continue to do what they've always done.
For some reason, this reminds me of family memories of World War 2. When I think of history I am really conditioned by the experience of my parent's and other relatives. They all grew up during the Depression and as the demographer Bernard Salt tellingly commented, those who grew up during the Depression were frugal for their whole lives. Even the next generation inherited this habit.
Remembering DresdenFive of my uncles fought in World War 2 – my father, luckily, was too young or I might not be here. One of my uncles was a navigator on the Lancaster bombers that fire bombed Dresden. My mother-in-law was staying with relatives on the outskirts of the city and watched as it burned. The lessons I take from that era was that people whose families may have been on opposite sides of a fence they didn't erect can climb over that fence. The second thing is that in every occupied country – Norway, France, to name just a few – there were people who collaborated with the occupiers and benefited from it. Eventually they had to answer to the judgement of their own people.
Now the Yes vote has failed to get up, Australia has blown its best opportunity to move forward into a positive united future. If Australia can't get its act together on such an important and long-running issue I wonder if there's much point in calling ourselves Australian any more