A “Yes” campaigner for The Voice referendum in Australia has been charged after allegedly spitting on a “No” supporter. The incident occurred on September 17, and Denise Ferris, an Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University (ANU), has been charged with common assault. A video widely shared on social media shows Ferris spitting on Andrew Thaler after he called her a derogatory name in Cooma, NSW.
Following the incident, Ferris returned to a tent with other “Vote Yes” campaigners and threatened to call the police. She has been involved in photography and has been the head of the School of Art and Design at ANU since 2013. Thaler previously ran as an independent candidate for Eden Monaro in the 2022 Federal election.
The NSW Police responded to the incident, stating that a 70-year old woman has been charged with common assault. The police were called to Centennial Park in Cooma and were informed that three people were involved in a physical altercation. No injuries were reported, and Ferris has been issued a court attendance notice. She is scheduled to appear at the Cooma Local Court on November 22.
Despite evidence and the video footage, Ferris denied spitting on Thaler in a statement to the media. She claimed to have had a panic attack and wanted to block Thaler’s camera without physical contact. Meanwhile, the campaign for The Voice referendum continues, with Australians set to vote on October 14. The referendum seeks to alter the constitution to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Early voting has been underway for two weeks, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stated that he will respect the decisions of Australians regarding The Voice. If the referendum fails, he will not legislate on the matter. Recent polls show 34 percent support for The Voice and 58 percent support for the No vote.