Whirlybird

What really pushed me to yes was the idea that while not every person who votes no is racist, all racists will vote no.

Sorry but that's not a very smart way to make a decision. It's a terrible way actually.

We have polling on indigenous peoples opinions on the voice. The people we surround ourselves with or we encounter in our daily lives are an insignificant sample size and subject to selection bias.

You think the people responding to polls aren't subject to selection bias? I don't care what polls of random people with unknown selection criteria and reach say, I care about what the people I know and trust have to say on the issue. Blindly believing polls is absolutely absurd.

This is a largely anonymous forum so there’s no reason to believe anyone who says “ah yeah I spoke to a guy.”

Cool, so why should anyone listen to anything you say?

Stating that all Indigenous Australians who you know are against it isn’t a valid argument.

I didn't say that was the argument though. As you noted, I gave the reasons why they said they were voting no and why I'll be voting no as well, because I agree with them. It just looks like white people virtue signalling so they can go "look how awesome and not racist we are! we're giving the indigenous people some crayons and a seat at the table where we can continue to not listen to them" while also making them feel good because they then feel justified in being able to call people they disagree with racists.

You want a universal basic income then. I also want that to happen, as it will allow more people to chase their dream career while being able to afford to live.

They earn below the poverty line because they’re not generally working full time jobs because they’re chasing their sporting dream full time.

But again - it’s the 1% that made it there. Only ~450 players are in the NRL. Many of them earn the minimum allowed of 100k still, and their careers average like 3 years. That’s the 1%.

Ah yes, the many many indigenous people campaigning for no are racist against themselves. You hit the nail on the head.

I have yet to encounter a legal expert, or for that matter, an Indigenous Australian who is accepted by their community, who is opposed.

Literally every one of my indigenous friends and colleagues that I've spoken to are voting no, including some who work for our government and are very well respected in their communities and in the government. Some run indigenous businesses and not for profits, some are elders and aunties/uncles, many are actively out there trying to make life better for indigenous people. I wasn't sure which way to vote, but I'll be voting no after speaking to them.

They all echoed the same thoughts - it's virtue signalling, and they don't want a seat at that table where they are not guaranteed to actually be listened to or respected.

sport is often the only realistic path out of systemic poverty for young people.

The number of people that can make a living from sport is miniscule. It's not a realistic path to strive for. You've got almost as much chance of winning the lottery.

TBH I don't really care. I don't think "elite athletes" should be getting any government funded pay. Playing sport is a privilege, not a right, and just because you're good at it doesn't mean you should be rich.

If your sport can't afford to pay you lots of money there's a reason for that - the sport doesn't generate a lot of money. It's the same argument with women's sports - they want equal pay but they don't bring in equal revenue, so where exactly is that equal pay supposed to come from? You can't play a female soccer player $30 million a year when the entire league only brings in $10 million revenue in total.

It’s also possible that she was the person doing the assaulting, like the victims and witness say.

A witness statement confirmed that she attacked them unprovoked.