COMMENTS by Member for Mallee Anne Webster have angered Swan Hill “yes” voters, who say they are “deeply harmful” to the wider Indigenous community.
Dr Webster, a vocal “no” campaign supporter, said she didn’t see any “ill will” in the no vote.
“I want to see a more united Australia going forward, to lift our eyes to the horizon, to look at a better future for all in Australia regardless of race,” she said in Tuesday’s Guardian.
Swan Hill Writes Yes Alliance member Peta Thornton was critical of Dr Webster’s choice of words, and her behaviour throughout the entire referendum campaign.
“When the Opposition decided to oppose and actively campaign against the proposal, it was going to be virtually impossible to win, based on historical data,” Ms Thornton said.
“It is my personal belief, and one that I hold with great conviction, that the leadership of the National Party during this time has been deplorable, sending emotive and one-sided pamphlets to everyone in the electorate and sending text messages from Jacinta Price to gather data for the Liberal and National parties.
“Their representation of the First Peoples that they represent during this significant moment and now in the aftermath, with the recent claims from Anne Webster in Tuesday’s Guardian, continues to be deeply harmful to the First Nations in our community and will have a negative impact on social cohesion.
“There are other issues like truth in political advertising, real-time transparency on political donations and the impact of social media that may need to be looked at to improve democratic processes.”
