Key Voice architect Thomas Mayo has declared that Labor’s resounding election victory was a national endorsement of Welcome to Country ceremonies.
The cultural practice became a major issue in the final week of the election campaign after an address by Bunurong elder Mark Brown at Melbourne‘s Anzac Day dawn service was drowned out by boos and jeers.
One of those responsible was a neo-Nazi and the ugly scenes were condemned across the political spectrum.
But the episode sparked a national debate after a veteran was filmed telling a Channel Nine reporter it was a ‘slap in the face’ for those who have served their country in battle to be welcomed to it.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he thought the ceremonies were ‘overdone’, later clarifying that he did not think they were appropriate on Anzac Day.
The debate around Indigenous recognition continued after Foreign Minister Penny Wong suggested the Voice to Parliament – a separate indigenous body with powers to influence government legislation – was, like marriage equality, inevitable.
But now Thomas Mayo, one of the key advocates of the Yes campaign, has claimed that Labor’s thumping majority is an overwhelming rejection of Coalition’s criticism of Indigenous recognition.
‘Tonight, Australia voted No to ignorance & Yes to Acknowledgement; No to xenophobia & Yes to Welcomes; No to regression & Yes to progress,’ he wrote on X.
Key Voice architect Thomas Mayo (pictured) has declared that Labor’s resounding election victory was a national endorsement of Welcome to Country ceremonies
After a week in which the news was dominated by controversies around Welcome to Country, the Prime Minister delivered a defiant Acknowledgement to Country during his victory speech on Saturday night
‘Peter Dutton, Jacinta Price, Clive Palmer, Pauline Hanson, the IPA & Advance henceforth have no mandate.
‘They’ve been thoroughly told NO.’
His comments were echoed by Anthony Albanese in his victory speech on Saturday night.
After a week in which the news was dominated by controversies around Welcome to Country, the Prime Minister delivered a defiant Acknowledgement to Country.
‘I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet,’ he said, to huge applause and cheers from the crowd.
‘And I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging today – and every day.’
In October last year, Mr Mayo insisted constitutional change, like the rejected Voice to Parliament, could still take place down the track.
‘Do you accept that this particular proposal, given it has been rejected by the Australian people is dead – or do you think it could still have a future,’ ABC host Patricia Karvelas asked Mayo in an interview.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong sparked a political firestorm three days before Aussies head to the polls by suggesting that there will one day be a Voice – and people will wonder why there was ever an argument about it
‘There’s still a future that includes Indigenous people in the constitution. Sure, in reality it’s not going to happen again for a while,’ he replied.
‘It will be a while before any politicians will have the courage to put it to the people and hope for the best.
‘We don’t always get things right in a democracy. If we accepted the ‘No’ answers that we got about equal wages or about our right to vote as Indigenous people … things would be worse today.
‘Because more than 60 per cent of young people voted ‘Yes’ between 18 and 24, that tells me that we’ve got a future, and what we tried to do last year will be achieved.’
Mr Mayo criticised the No campaign and acknowledged that their slogan of ‘if you don’t know, vote No’ was, in his words, ‘unfortunately extremely powerful’.