THE VOICE REFERENDUM:
The No campaign for the looming Voice referendum has suffered a major blow with a leading Aboriginal advocate for that side of the increasingly bitter debate abruptly switching sides overnight.
Nyunggai Warren Mundine will now advocate fiercely for a Yes result at the October 14 vote after what he freely admitted was a regrettable mistake as a result of “my native Bundjalung people’s tongue ability to be a bit confusing”.
In an exclusive interview with The Bug, Mundine explained that the word “Kno” pronounced “No” in Bundjalung, the language of his mob who own most of northern coastal NSW, actually meant yes.
“Which means that for many months now, as a fierce campaigner for a First Nations people’s voice to Parliament on issues affecting them, I’ve been out supporting the No case thinking it was the exact opposite.
“I feel an absolute dunce making that mistake and I simply plead with you not to create an image with me wearing a dunce cap like you often do with all sorts of people you think are stupid or offensive or way, way out of their depth.”
The Bug readily gave that assurance and Mundine explained how he had only been reminded overnight that with “kno” actually meant “yes” in Bundajalung, people understandably were getting confused over his long-held beliefs.
“After my appearance on the ABC Insiders program, a lot of people came up to me and said that because I had talked openly about advisory bodies I had worked on and how they had achieved great results for First Nations people despite having no powers other than that of persuasion, they said I was clearly a Yes supporter and naturally enough I said “Kno!”
Others pointed out that on Insiders I had talked about the billions of Australian taxpayers’ money that had been wasted on trying to close the gap without little to no improvement and that a better method was needed, an argument that showed I supported the Yes case and naturally enough, I said “Kno!”.
“They also explained that in being a fierce supporter of treaties with First Nations People, something the No side is trying to scare Australians with notions of boundless reparations and it’s clear the Liberal and National Parties would never push for such treaties anyway, it was abundantly clear that I was on the Yes side and I naturally enough, I said “Kno!”
“Then they started banging on about my support for moving Australia Day and how the No camp has an almost pathologically hatred of the idea, I shouted: ‘Yes. I get it. Kno! Kno! Kno!’
“It was only last night that a relative in northern NSW reminded me that few people, especially whities would know what “Kno” really meant in Bundjalung and I was shocked and replied: “Yes way!’
“I know it’s no excuse but perhaps I needed to be clearer about my own mob’s language. Perhaps I’ve gotten a bit rusty or complacent because I don’t currently own coal mines in northern NSW and I’m generally negotiating with other mobs in other parts of the country using their local lingos to get the best possible deal.
“Once again, I feel so fucking stupid so please, please, don’t portray me with a dunce’s cap, even though I probably deserve it.”
The Bug once more gave Mundine that assurance, explaining that we used to put dunce’s caps on tall poppies and the like, mainly politicians and Newscorp columnists, but had stopped it because it was basically a childish cheap shot that also tended to paint us as arrogant and superior.
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