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​By Catherine Watson

​TWO out of three Bass Coast voters voted NO in the referendum on a First Nations voice to Parliament, well above the state average of 55 per cent and the Australian average of 60 per cent.
 
YES votes were a majority at just four of Bass Coast’s 16 polling places: Cape Paterson, Cowes, Inverloch and Newhaven.
They ranged from a low of 27 per cent at Bass to a high of 59 per cent at Newhaven. Rhyll was evenly split with 129 YES votes to 130 NO.

The high NO vote came despite strong support for the Voice from Bass Coast Shire Council and the Bass Coast/South Gippsland Reconciliation Group.

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7 Comments
Frank W Schooneveldt - 2 years ago
The people have resoundingly spoken that they do not want to change the constitution to recognise our Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples as the first peoples of this great country in the constitution.
You have to respect the wishes of the majority.
It is abundantly clear that to pass a referendum in Australia you must have bipartisan support. No referendum has ever passed in Australia without bipartisan support.
So if we want to create change in the future we need to do so by legislation rather than a referendum and if necessary have the legislation tested in the High Court of Australia.
The High Court of Australia has already thrown out the doctrine of terra nullius. This recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait people were the first peoples of Australia.

The High Court of Australia in the highest court in the country and has the final word that we all need to be bound by.
Lewis Stone - 2 years ago
The answer was no by the citizens of this area, not by the high court. The High court was created by politicians who in turn were elected by citizens. So power to the people and no is the answer from almost 2/3 of the citizens of the shire of Bass Coast. Accept that please and hope that money gets to those indigenous who need it and not for the elite of the indigenous to siphon off so they benefit.
Aleta Groves - 2 years ago
It just goes to show how out of touch some of the Bass Coast Councilors are. A councilors job is to represent the interests of the community, how can they do that when they move a motion that the council supports a YES, when 2/3 of the community say NO.
CHRISTINE GRAYDEN - 2 years ago
I would readily accept the No vote majority decision if the lead up to the referendum had not been turned into the worst, most vitriolic media brawl I've ever known in my life. There is no possible way the public could have made an informed decision, given the abysmal level of 'debate' played out in the media.
Felicia Di Stefano - 2 years ago
Many thanks, Catherine for providing the booth results. I did wonder. But you slightly err as there were six out of 16 booths in Bass Coast that voted YES: Cape Paterson, Cowes, Inverloch and Newhaven and Kilcunda. We door knocked in Kilcunda and had some very interesting conversations.

I fully agree with Christine Grayden. The Trumpian 'no' campaign amplified by the Murdoch media confused many well meaning people.
Richard Kemp - 2 years ago
It is so sickening to think that the 151 politicians in this country’s parliament and that 11 of them are indigenous elected by the people have not given a voice the Aborigines. They have not audited or supervised or have been accountable the $40 billion allocated to aboriginal's affairs. Aboriginals did not need a voice in Parliament, we did not need to change the Constitution as we are all Australians that are represented by the people we elect. What we do need is for them to do the job the job they were elected to do for all Australians. The aid/money does not get through to the people that desperately need it. A Royal Commission into this situation is needed to find where the money evaporates to before reaching the people. Then we can help the First Nations people and have unity in this country.
Col - 2 years ago
It’s really quite sad to see people willing to abuse their friends and family over how they voted. I knew to some extent that if no got up that yes voters would be hurt but I had no idea that they would weaponise that pain and target their family members. Now I understand why you voted yes, I get it, I don’t agree with you but I’m not about to throw away relationships because I don’t agree with you. I know there’s no point in leveling your anger at racists because they don’t care, they are probably enjoying your pain, but we are not your punching bags. We have every right to distrust the government and the system, the fact that you’re holding that against us says that after 235 years of connected resistance you have finally allowed the government to get in between us. Watching Blackfullas turn against each other is heartbreaking and makes me wonder, was this the governments goal all along.