The similarities between the 1993 Fightback and The Voice campaigns are evident. Former Prime Minister Paul Keating’s appeal to the Australian people, “If you don’t understand it, don’t vote for it,” played a significant role in undermining the Liberal Party’s Fightback and GST policy three decades ago. The Liberal Party faced criticism for failing to provide clear explanations for the practicality and impact of their plan and saw a decline in support once the details were examined. It appears that the lessons of history have been ignored by the Labor and Green parties in their approach to The Voice proposal for altering the Constitution.
The initial popularity of The Voice concept resulted in unrealistic expectations of continued overwhelming support. There was a belief that a vague explanation would suffice, but recent polls indicate a lack of support across all age demographics. In response to the declining support for The Voice, the leaders and public spokespeople of the “Yes” campaign have resorted to divisive name-calling and personal attacks. This behavior is repulsive to Australians, who value decency and respectful debate. The frustration of the “Yes” campaigners does not excuse their belittling and derogatory comments towards those with differing opinions.
The strategy of attacking opponents rather than engaging in respectful dialogue mirrors the tactics that contributed to Hillary Clinton’s loss in the U.S. presidential election. Respect for opponents is crucial in a civilized society, and resorting to insults is neither civilized nor enlightening. Disagreements and debates should be conducted with consideration and the ability to apologize for any mistakes. It is important to express differing opinions and engage in healthy discussions as it is essential to a robust democracy.
Drawing comparisons to the 1993 Fightback campaign, the author highlights the need for a complete explanation of The Voice proposal and the practical implications it may have. Former Prime Minister Paul Keating’s call for voters to understand what they are voting for played a crucial role in the outcome of that election. The author notes that it is interesting how some commentators in 1993 did not criticize Keating for using similar language to criticize the Fightback plan as critics now use against The Voice. The article concludes by noting that history will determine whether the similarities between the Fightback and The Voice campaigns result in a similar outcome on October 14, 2023.