John Farnham’s You’re the Voice enlisted by The Uluru Dialogue in national ad blitz via The Monkeys to galvanise support for YES campaign
The Uluru Dialogue – the architects of the Uluru Statement – have launched their new film, You’re the Voice, pairing John Farnham’s iconic song with transformative moments in Australia’s history to galvanise support for its YES campaign on the referendum for a First Nations Voice. A major national advertising campaign has launched via The Monkeys, directed by filmmaker and Kaytetye man Warwick Thornton via production company Photoplay.
The campaign was developed alongside Professor Megan Davis and historian Professor Clare Wright OAM.
As the next iteration of the History is Calling campaign, the new film is a direct call to action to remind Australians they have a chance to change history for the better.
The three-minute film starts in the 1980s – at the time the now iconic song was released – and follows a family through the years as they witness several key moments which are now forged in our collective memory playing out on their TV screen: the 1967 referendum, the Mabo decision, America’s Cup, the Uluru handback, Cathy Freeman’s gold medal, the 1996 gun reform, the 2008 apology and the marriage equality plebiscite.
Farnham says he hopes the song will help change the lives of First Nations Peoples.
Says Farnham: “This song changed my life. I can only hope that now it might help, in some small way, to change the lives of our First Nations Peoples for the better.”
Tim Wheatley, Farnham’s close friend and son of his late manager Glenn Wheatley, said the iconic song is aligned with humanity and is a song for all Australians: “You’re the Voice is not aligned with any political party. It is aligned with humanity. It’s a song for all Australians. Always has been, always will be,” says Wheatley.
“Win or lose this referendum, this song will forever remain on the right side of history. Both John and my father have fiercely protected this song’s use for decades, I think for this very moment.”
Produced by Photoplay, it is the first commercial directed by filmmaker Warwick Thornton, best-known for films including Samson and Delilah (2009) and Sweet Country (2017). Says Thornton in a statement: “When asked to work on this project, I instantly said yes and it has been an honour. It has empowered me. I feel all the films I have made have been practice for this one very important and beautiful film.”
Professor Megan Davis, Cobble Cobble woman and Co-Chair of the Uluru Dialogue said the purpose of the film is to mobilise the nation and motivate people to support the Voice as the next chapter in Australia’s history.
“You’re the Voice is the nation’s unofficial anthem. I was in primary school when it was released and, as a young girl, instantaneously felt the power of its message about agency and walking together. It is an empowering message,” Professor Davis said.
“History isn’t just something we witness and observe, but something we ourselves can influence. And now we all have a voice in what happens at this critical moment, and we must use it.”
“Through Australia’s history, we as a nation have debated and discussed major change on the grounds of fear and uncertainty. Whether it was Mabo and native title laws, Howard’s gun control laws, the apology to the stolen generations, or marriage equality… there are always fears for the worst. But time and time again history has proven those fears were unfounded and we believe it will be the same with the Voice.”
“We are proud to finally announce and launch the use of this iconic song and partnership between John Farnham and the Uluru Dialogue. The number one question Aussies have asked me for six years is ‘Have you thought of Johnny Farnham and You’re the Voice?’.”
“We hope You’re the Voice will show Australians that we all have a role to play in making this referendum a success, and that it will inspire people to walk with us on this movement for a better future.”
Pat Anderson AO, Alyawarre woman and Co-Chair of the Uluru Dialogue said she hopes the film will remind the nation of the historic opportunity we all have by voting YES for a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice and has urged the Australian public to get behind the movement. Says Ms Anderson: “When it matters most, Australians show up for each other. You’re the Voice is archival proof of the people of this country using their voice to show up and stand on the right side of history. We’ve made history before and very soon we will have the chance to do it again.
“The Voice is a simple proposal. Listening leads to better decisions. This is a proposal supported by 83 per cent of First Peoples, because they know when we have a say, it means better outcomes for our communities for generations.”
Client: The Uluru Dialogue
Historical Consultant: Professor Clare Wright OAM
Producer: TalentWorks & Wheatley
Creative Agency: The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song
Media Agency: OMD
Public Relations: Porter Novelli
Production Company: Photoplay
Director / DP: Warwick Thornton
Executive Producer / Producer: Emma Thompson
Production Manager: Rachael Dore
Production Designer: Kerrie van Lambaart
Wardrobe: Joanna Mae Park
Gaffer: Andy Robertson
Grip: David Griffiths
Casting: Anousha Zarkesh
Post Production: White Chocolate
Editor: Simon Njoo
Colourist: Trish Cahill
Online Artist: David Mosqueda & Chris Grocott
Music Supervision: Big Sync Music
Head of APAC: Michael Szumowski
Sound Design: MassiveMusic
Head of Sound: Simon Kane
GM/EP: Katrina Aquilia
Music Production, Remastering: Turning Studios
Composer/ Producer/ Founder: Elliot Wheeler
Producer: Carla de Menezes Ribeiro
Archival Footage Production: Savage Archive
Archive Producer: Lisa Savage
Photography: Benjamin Fry, WestFilm
249 Comments
“Try and understand it”
You can’t make this stuff up.
You can. And someone did. You’re just annoyed it wasn’t you.
It’s kind of not that hard…
“Make it clearrrrrr!”
And the award for wokest agency of the year goes to…
Have been waiting for a campaign like this. Something that will properly grab people emotionally. Looking forward to seeing it.
Imagine coming on here to bag an ad that hasn’t even come out yet.
If supporting the Voice is too woke for you then you might be the one in your family everyone tries to avoid at Christmas
More oil petrol gambling clients than everyone else put together. Woke no
sure, we’ve gone from 65%+ in support to sub 50%, and we’ll need a double majority to pass a referendum. We have a lot of work ahead of us.
Of course we could of pushed back the referendum a few months, and actually talked through what the ‘process of agreement-making’ is and what that entails… we’re just voting on THAT part.
We can figure it allllllll out later. Trust us. Nothing to see here.
And all these current state IBAC and incoming NACC inquires, and ‘Jobs for the boys’ stuff in NSW, and Dan Andrews secret deal handing over a tasmania sized chunk of land without councils knowledge, and the comms game stuff, and the allegations that we weaponised Higgins are all just conspiracies.
x
I know, let’s vote to change the constitution because a nostalgic song tells me to.
Nup
…means NO!
TRY AND UNDERSTAND IT ? ????
Funny that people in the ad industry are supposedly in the game because of their ability to think critically yet are all so comically indoctrinated to do whatever the Left tells them.
“Don’t think about it, just do it ‘cos it’s the right thing to do!” has gotta be my favourite quote from the ABC yet.
That’s the emotional side covered, brilliant. But. As humans we convince each other of our points of view by using examples. Why aren’t the Yes campaign doing this? For example, dramatise a concrete example of how the voice will work. Maybe a Territory community has truancy problems and the locals know why the govt program hasn’t been working. They meet with their voice rep who takes their insights gained from their unique perspective, to parliament. Now I see it, I get it.
Only 40 more sleeps until the radical lefties in the Australian ad industry realise they live in a bubble.
What a pack of pr*cks our industry houses. I am astounded!!! Sky news watching A holes with 6 plus properties my generation pays for in your tax.
Show your names. Your gene X and baby boombers time is limited. I hate everything about you.
Vote yes. Equality is dead. Deal with it.
Just saying I agree here.
‘Show your names’ said ‘Ad girl’.
Why you angry at me? I’m voting yes. I’m supporting women’s rights. I’m trying my best to fix my parents generations mess. Don’t throw us in the heap too!
Bit cheesy but …
YES!
The people I know who are voting ‘no’ are privileged white people, living in their white communities, listening to other white privileged people, all too afraid to share their privileges as they fear it will change their privileged lifestyle.
Wow. The comments above are terrifying if they’re any barometer of the broader reception out there awaiting this campaign.
I really want the Yes vote to prevail. I’m not sure the campaign they are running is helping achieve that outcome.
I think that response is exactly what they’re all talking about. So much grievance. Nothing about the issue at hand.
Why demonize people who don’t agree with you politically? There are undoubtedly many decent people who have thought deeply about the Voice and simply have concluded it’s a bad idea. Indeed, some of them are even ‘indigenous.’
“ indeed some of them are indigenous”
Over 80% of indigenous Australians support the voice. Do.your.research. Educate yourself. 🤦🏽♀️
good, simple, populist stuff. hope it stirs the masses
I was hoping and waiting for something like this. You nailed it. Thank you.
….this won’t divide the country! WOW!
Recognition is fine with 100% of the country, but the Labour is going to lose their voice!
It is as simple as trying to make things better. Saying sorry wasn’t enough. We need to do something.
Was always of the opinion that this referendum should have been taken before the marriage equality one but here we are.
Australians voted Yes back then to give my minority group a fair go and now it’s my turn to vote Yes to give another a fair go.
A Yes vote now won’t change my life but it’s not my life that’s being voted on this time.
Great work Monkeys, Thornton and Photoplay. Although this song bugs me no end, it’s a very clever use of it (and of Farnham’s influence)– the synergy is bang-on and will no doubt speak to many Aussies, if not some folk on this blog. It is seriously disturbing to me that my fellow ad folk, who have the power to shift culture, can be so absent of humanity. We should be using our (predominantly white) privilege to move the world forward – for everyone, especially the First Nations people whom we have so wronged over the past 235 years. Vote Yes.
100% agree with you on all fronts @Not woke, just human.
And what really saddens me is that many are arguing this on a political front and using the fear of the unknown to mask blatant prejudice. First Nations people are the most disadvantaged Indigenous people in the world. And yet most Australians see ours as an ‘advanced’ Country. I hope that our country will reveal the humanity we need to co-create pathways to a future with better education and health systems that support all Australians.
What an absolute waste of an opportunity. Literally singing to the choir. Anyone who is aware and proud of events such as Mabo and the apology will already be voting yes.
For those that aren’t, this is all the reasons to say no nicely packaged up for them in a weetbix ad.
The ‘No’ voters likely to swing are concerned the Voice will negatively impact their lifestyle, surely this was an opportunity to do something smarter, with real insight, to show them that it won’t.
Don’t get me wrong, John Farnham can do what he likes with his song, I make no judgment.
What I don’t get is what the Americas Cup, Cathy Freeman, AFL, NRL have to do with Yes.
This is way off the mark and extremely disappointing given the power of this song. This could backfire big time.
Fantastic spot that will hopefully cut through the fear and hate being peddled. Well done.
Disappointing that many pseudonyms are commenting with fairly toxic comments. I assume they are part of the Dutton paid bot brigade, if they don’t have the courage to stand up honestly and openly behind their comments.
I accept that this would have been a tough brief,but that’s no excuse for such a huge opportunity to be lost.
The Prime Minister has regularly said the Uluru Statement from the Heart fits on one A4 page, so there is no fine print detail.
But the full 26-page document, obtained under Freedom of Information, includes detailed context about how the Statement came to exist.
Within the extra 25 pages are calls for reparations, ‘rent’ to be paid to Indigenous Australians, and a reconsideration of land rights – but such words were not included in the A4 statement Mr Albanese presents.
Opponents of the Voice have used the existence of the longer Statement to stoke fears reparations will soon be on the agenda if the Voice to Parliament gets approved at the upcoming referendum.
The Uluru Statement is one page. 444 words. It took many years of consultation and the addendum is a record of the conversations that led to that one page.
Congratulations Monkeys on an outstanding ad.
Yes
It’s a secret ballot. So, I don’t see the issue of anonymous comments. Further, people can surely be opposed to the Voice without being accused of being ‘Bots.’ Guess what? Yours is not the only legitimate opinion. That’s why there’s a vote.
Is clearly alive and well. What an incredibly depressing state of affairs inside the ad industry with some of these comments, particularly the one directly peddling Murdoch misinformation …. Like come on. Engage your brain and think critically. You can vote no if you want to be that person but quoting the daily mail… that’s just embarrassing
Rupert does not own the Daily Mail.
Yes good old Harmsworth, bastion of equality and balanced journalism.
Boy is this a graphic demonstration of the scourge of anonymous comments…
Well done to all involved.
A noble effort.
The knee-jerk go-to of Yes voters to immediately slander anyone questioning the referendum as a racist bigot is actually what finally convinced me to leave the Left–they’re bullies.
I was a classic Lefty my whole life, the progressives in 2023 however are something else entirely. Suppressing independent thought by attacking anyone who doesn’t agree with them with scathing abuse is not what the Left is about.
The Left don’t want equality, they want power. It’s gotten ugly.
Agree. Monkeys goofed hard on this one.
Exceptional work Monkeys.
The comments in this thread just confirm my belief not to take anonymous blog opinions to heart.
Thanks to all involved in bringing the campaign to life – YES opens conversations that are long overdue.
These comments reinforce to me the folly of The Voice itself. Just because you are a member of a notional group doesn’t mean that you will necessarily agree on all issues. Yes, the commentators here are members of the ad industry. Yet within that grouping there is a wide range of opinions on The Voice (and likely many other issues), which is a good thing. We are all individuals with different life experiences and perspectives. I have no doubt it is the same among Indigenous Australians. Yet, there are Indigenous ‘leaders’ and their cheerleaders who are desperately trying to force The Voice onto people like it is the only option available. It reminds me of ad creatives believing that their idea is the best because it is, yep, their idea.
Jase, there was years of community consulting for the Statement from the Heart. Many voices, many different priorities before agreement.
From the Statement: “Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.”
According to Megan Davis (who would know), over 85% of the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people support YES.
This referendum is one small but significant step towards closing the gap and providing recognition and a pathway to better outcomes for our First Nations people.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why any fair minded Australian would not vote YES.
No matter what side of the fence you sit on, can’t you have a civil debate without being toxic and abusive? It really is a simple question we are being asked. You either agree YES an Indigenous advisory body should be enshrined into the constitution or NO it shouldn’t because you don’t know how the body will be appointed or funded. I encourage all Australians to simply consider what impact this will have on their lives either way.
I am going to vote yes,but with much trepidation and very little conviction.
Suspect I am not the only one.
The disappointment in coming years if it doesn’t bring change will be devastating.
Fingers crossed.
Could not agree more.
I think a broader problem in the Australian ad industry however is how majority left-leaning it is. Anyone from a conservative background better be prepared to tow the line and keep their mouth shut lest they be cancelled and have their careers destroyed overnight.
Unfortunately @JaseR, what is now considered ‘conservative’ [right wing] used to be called the ‘sensible centre’.
I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t support constitutional recognition of aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders
as Australia’s first people.
But few of the people I know over the age of 50 will support The Voice.
They all ask the same question:
‘How can you vote to change our constitution without knowing the details of the change until after the vote?
And sadly, there are many other issues bubbling under the surface, that remain unanswered – such as traditional law
preventing many indigenous women from any involvement in who’s chosen to represent them on The Voice.
How comfortable do you feel about that?
And The Voice representatives won’t be voted for, they’ll simply be chosen [mostly by men].
And how can three indigenous Voice representatives chosen for WA provide advice that effects the hundreds of other
nations in WA – when the vast majority of those nations have separate cultures, languages, traditions, laws, even
ethnicities. It’s like the UN only having 20+ representatives, but making decisions on behalf of effect every country.
What if a nation is not represented on The Voice?
How does their POV and advice be put to government if they have no representative on The Voice?
An what advice takes precendee with the Fed Govt – advice from The Voice, or advice from the elders of a nation,
when that nation has no representative on The Voice?
Tasmania’s aboriginal groups are already openly fighting and divided geographically into Yes and No groups.
Yes in the south, No in the north, because the north Tasmanian aboriginal groups don’t want the aboriginal groups
from the south to represent them.
Why? Because they are different nations. It’s the same all across Australia.
As some observers have said, ‘Non indigenous Australia is being told The Voice will unite indigenous Australia, when
many indigenous Australians believe it will tear them apart’.
And just as Australians are being told The Voice is a way for indigenous Australians have a say in their own affairs,
anyone even remotely connected to the public servant will tell you that indigenous groups already have a huge say in
every policy and financial decision related to indigenous Australians and their lives, whether federal, state, or local
government. Can you imagine any government is currently making a decision without their involvement?
The one thing I do know for certain is this.
What is dividing us is not a desire to help improve the lives of indigenous Australians.
We all long for that.
What is dividing us is an appallingly ill-thought out referendum.
[Even the AEC’s advice that a X placed in a box will not be considered as valid vote – even when that’s the very thing
every returning Australian is told to do on every Customs and Immigration card to denote a Yes].
The fact is the referendum is a complete mess and it’s all of the Govt’s own making [unless you think the comments
and questions raised above are just the rantings of a right wing conservative!]
As far as ads go – I don’t think the Yes campaign could do much better. It’s spot on.
Congratulations to all involved.
Will it work?
Only time will tell.
This is misses the point. The issue is no one really knows what what it means. This doesn’t address it
Can creatives please stop photocopying off parts of The Great Reset.
We know the Libs were against an avenue of consultation, but if only Labor hadn’t also agreed to disband ATSIC previously, then we wouldn’t be here again discussing whether we need a rebranded way for Parliament to consult with this community. And yet we STILL want to trust the same people in government to not fuck this up, or prove their corruption like they always do.
Can someone explain to me—perhaps Ad Girl—why this divisive campaign is a good thing? And please, explain it to me as if I’m quadruple vaxxed, and have pronouns and the Ukrainian flag in my bio.
I laughed. Oh how I laughed.
The fact that all the headlines read John Farnham and not Warwick Thornton the indigenous director seems like just the tip of the iceberg… if you can’t see why thats an issue then why are they even making this ad.
100% agree with you on all fronts @Not woke, just human.
And what really saddens me is that many are arguing this on a political front and using the fear of the unknown to mask blatant prejudice. First Nations people are the most disadvantaged Indigenous people in the world. And yet most Australians see ours as an ‘advanced’ Country. I hope that our country will reveal the humanity we need to co-create pathways to a future with better education and health systems that support all Australians.
I’ve always wondered what kind of people would dedicate so much energy to spewing anonymous comments on an advertising blog, and reading through this, it’s a lot clearer.
I appreciate that The Voice is the result of a long consultative process and that it has broad support among Indigenous Australians. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s a good idea. Indeed, I believe that a majority of voters in the UK now regret their decision to vote in favour of Brexit. Even the seemingly best ideas can flop and flop badly. How things will play out in the real world is impossible to predict with any certainty.
Ultimately, this will be decided by the Australian people. That still doesn’t mean that even if it succeeds at the ballot box that it will not be an unmitigated failure long term – for both indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
What if it gets up and doesn’t meaningfully close the gap? What then?
What if it results in deep division and infighting among its members? What then?
What if a future High Court unexpectedly broadens its remit? What then?
What if Indigenous activists use it as a steppingstone for even more radical proposals? What then?
There are many reasons for sober reflection on this proposed change to the constitution. And I understand the deep desire of Indigenous people to, finally, have a seat at the table of power. I get that. I still find it embarrassing (or clever – ?) that the ‘Yes’ campaign has turned to a nostalgic song to spearhead its push for a fundamental change to our system of government.
Yeah cheers hey
If you really had those things in your bio, you’d be more like Ad Girl, and not some obviously white, male, Boomer who consumes 100% Murdoch misinformation.
Yes, yes, yes. Thank you Monkeys.
No one cuts through to the nomads like Farnsy. Good choice Monkeys.
Oh man… so anyone who questions the Voice is an automatic bigot and anyone who questions it on Campaign Brief is a white, male, far-right boomer…
My eyes just rolled so far into the back of my head I almost had a seizure.
The song was inspired by a protest march for nuclear disarmament that took place in London’s Hyde Park on October 25, 1985, the day the four British songwriters (Andy Qunta, Keith Reid, Maggie Ryder, and Chris Thompson) started writing the song. Thompson planned on attending the march, but overslept; he, Qunta and Ryder watched it on TV while they were writing the song.
Well expressed point of view.
The smart and responsible thing to do would have been to ‘road test’ the idea for five or 10 years under legislative imprimatur.
Then, if it worked, it could have been put to the people via referendum. And it would, most likely, have been overwhelmingly supported.
If it didn’t work, it could have been fine-tuned or jettisoned and new ideas developed.
Why enshrine a mechanism, effectively forever, into the constitution that might be a disaster for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians?
And why be so venomous towards those who are nervous about leaping head-first into the constitutional unknown?
Don’t worry about the detail.PWC will work it out on a head hours
Vote no to treating people differently because of the colour of their skin.
Oh dear, look at how the loving and tolerant left behave when somebody doesn’t agree with them.
Just in case you think it’s a Left/Right issue maybe consider: The Uluru statement was presented at the constitutional convention initiated by Tony Abbott. Current and former Liberal Party MPs who support enshrining an indigenous voice to parliament include: Ken Wyatt (Australia’s First Indigenous Minister for Indigenous Affairs), Julian Leeser (former shadow minister for Indigenous Affairs), Bridgett Archer, Malcolm Turnbull, Julie Bishop, NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman, Former New South Wales Treasurer Matt Kean, Lib Premier of Tasmania Jeremy Rockliff, Former NSW Premier Mike Baird
Vote no to continue treating people differently because of the colour of their skin.
I think it’s great. And just in the nick of time.
Interesting choice of music: how about “Treaty” instead!!
Hilarious seeing the mental gymnastics the activist Lefties are having to do to convince themselves a large percentage of No voters aren’t just regular, everyday young people who haven’t been brainwashed by the discriminatory woke agenda.
To those who say that change should be slowed down, here’s what Martin Luther King Jr. had to say on the danger of (white) moderates:
“For years now I have heard the word “Wait!” It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This “Wait” has almost always meant “Never.” We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that “justice too long delayed is justice denied.”
A PSA for all the angry, tortured Gen X / Boomers working in Adland who hate progressives – you calling anything you don’t like “woke” is hilarious, and we laugh at you behind your backs. It’s the modern equivalent of Reds Under the Bed.
And if you genuinely despise people who act “woke” – or in a way that raises awareness of social inequality – you need to take a serious look at yourself.
A reminder that there are valid reasons to vote No, but if you’re doing it to “stick it to” people you hate (the Left, woke people, antifa, insert the FOTM spectre of Sky News) at the behest of Indigenous people, you’re a bad person and you should feel bad.
Just a question, how many indigenous friends do you have?
You lost me at Gen X / Boomer. I’d hazard a guess most of the people in this thread are under 40.
Boomer is a mindset.
Nice to see the white privilege within the advertising community has a strong turnout here against a VERY REASONABLE piece of legislation that is quite simply an ADVISORY GROUP for the indigenous community to simply be formally built into a system designed by white colonisers.
Relax, it’s advertising. We’re all just doing a job we’re paid to do. Well most of us anyway. Vote how you want to vote – that’s democracy. Stop getting offended and get yourself a sausage in bread on the day. Enjoy your freedoms, enjoy your work.
This is a great ad. Well done to all involved. And to those who worry it doesn’t address the concerns people have – let’s not forget the grass roots efforts of the Yes campaign in action. That’s were the rational arguments and misconceptions will be tackled.
Show me the 30 second cut-down, because I don’t believe the 2-3 minute version will go to air on paid media. As to the full-length ad itself, while I support the cause, I worry that there are too many niggling problems in adapting this much-loved song, too many cliches, too many lyrics that don’t quite fit, too many visuals that are confusing and too much glossing-over subtleties that might be missed so that the ‘grand vision’ holds sway. It’s a super-difficult brief, but I fear that this solution is just a bit too trite. As someone else has already observed, this might get the thumbs-up from the converted both in Adland and the wider Australian community, but it’s undecideds the advertising needs to convince. I hope it does, but I fear it has the power to irritate those it needs to vote Yes. So, is Old CD Guy bagging this ad or what? Yes and No.
Hoo boy. Here we go with the misguided labelling attacks again… Exhausting.
I love the virtue signalling of the anon YES people in this thread, they are on the good and righteous side. But you forgot to put your pronouns in you transphobes.
It cracks me up how out of touch the Point Piper activists running The Monkeys are with the actual cultural zeitgeist in Australia (and no… not racist, quite the opposite actually). It’s almost like average Australians don’t like being constantly spoken down to lectured on how to be hypocritically “virtuous”. Ahh well, echo chamber’s gonna echo I guess.
Just a reminder to all the anonymous ‘NO-voting’ trolls on here… you do realise that ‘conservative’ and ‘creative’ are mutually exclusive things, right?
Which is to say, if you’re decrying how ‘woke’ AdLand is, then you’re in the wrong industry and on the wrong messageboard, snowflake… (oops, did I just reappropriate a word that didn’t belong to me in order to give it a pejorative meaning? Oh dear…)
I LOVED this spot. Well done, Monkeys! Honestly brought a tear to my eye. Perfect song, perfect cause, and the way it reminded Australians that some worthy, progressive causes that made our country a better place also happened under a Coalition stewardship was really, really smart (ie. the gun buy-back scheme).
Albo is dividing the nation. With ramifications for indigenous Australians, non-idigenous Australians, his party and himself! Just NO!
Oh mate, you worked on Gillette. ‘Nuff said.
Love the virtue Signalling of the REAL NAME People on this
Give me virtue signaling over anonymous cowardice, any day. Coward.
Best ad I’ve seen in a long time. Well done Monkeys.
While everyone is slagging this off and timesheeting it to a client, this ad is doing its job nicely. Just like the talented creatives who made it. Just like Warrick Thornton who directed it. Just like Farnsey who blessed it. Good challenge. Good creative. Good job. Back to work everyone!
You’re the voice, mate.
Look at us all sitting around pointing fingers and calling each other names with our keyboards. The easily offended, easily offended by the easily offended. Piss poor.
Can we get this to 100 comments?
What’s the issue? There is a referendum on foot. There are differing opinions on whether it’s a good idea or not. People here – like in a million other real and virtual places – are discussing and debating the issue. Some of that debate is intelligent and some of it isn’t. It will be put to a national vote soon and decided. And life will go on – whatever the outcome. In the meantime, get stuck into it, I say!
So brave. So virtuous. So above it all.
If anybody here is STILL planning on voting N* at this point, they’re clearly not being pressured, bullied, or shamed hard enough. This ad is a great start, but I reckon it’s way too soft on the nation’s bigots.
Conservative & creative being mutually exclusive?
Spend some time analysing the Saatchi campaign in 1978 for the Conservative Party. Extremely powerful creative done for a conservative client (incidentally, the Conservative Party at that).
While your comment may ring true for a modern ‘creative’ context (i.e., exceptionally few conservatives in advertising these days), it’s a stretch to equate creativity as being inextricably linked with a certain political viewpoint.
Not a “NO-voting troll”; just a concerned citizen.
Well said.
Conservatives being silenced, shamed and suppressed in creative departments is a prime example of the hypocrisy of the left. Agencies might as well hang a sign saying “No no-no thoughts” allowed above creative departments these days.
Fighting for equality and fairness? What a joke.
And no–to the Leftie trolls, I’m not a Gen X / Boomer.
Why is this ad all about sport? There are indigenous people who have found success in many other fields.
Why does it always need to come back to sport? Because that is all this working-class family sitting in their living room can relate to?
There is something not right about this entire proposition. And this ad is not helping to clarify anything.
Please allow me to flap my lips so that it seems I have an opinion and am part of the conversation.
The ad made me happy and hopeful. The comments section made me want to walk away from the industry and never look back.
Hmm. “Both John and my father have fiercely protected this song’s use for decades, I think for this very moment.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v70CRlJGTvQ
It was also used to get Aussies to vote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unVtqBkPwzc
…and we should only sing in one voice.
Surely the NO campaign should use the iconic Australian song ‘I am, you are, we are Australian’.
Must have done something right because you’re all taliking about it… God Ad people are such fucktards (me included)
Stop teasing us, off you go.
Feels positive. Feels like a ‘yes’ vote should. More of this.
So much love and tolerance from the left on here.
Sensational work grats to all involved! First-ever campaign brief comment. I understand how heated it can get on here. Just some thoughts for some of the fence sitters or openly no voters. The voice has no veto powers, and by doing this we enshrine in our constitution the need for consultancy for indigenous people over issues that affect THEIR lives not OURS. Since Gough Whitman there have been 5 indigenous committees created and then defunded. The world is watching us and we want to say to our fellow indigenous Australians we are here for you. Let’s not forget that 30% of indigenous Australians are descended from children who were stolen from their families and, in many cases, abused in government care. Let’s not forget that we perpetrated a systematic genocide against Tasmanian Aboriginals. Let’s just vote yes and get back to our lives.
Did any of the team working on this grow up with any indigenous friends? You know, the ones who came around to your house and watch the America’s Cup? Also, why only highlight sporting achievements of our proud Indigenous people? Then hire a director who abhors the wasteful amount of money spent on sport in this country and not the arts, presumably because – well… Why hire him and not get him to write it? When privileged people try and do good for a ‘minority’, they invariably stuff it up. Let’s hear their real voices on this issue, not some confected whitesplaining from ‘the left’ or ‘the right’. Let’s hear it from the actual heart.
Australia’s black history is extremely shameful. You only have to listen to the First Nations community to hear the trauma, the intergenerational effects and how recent some of these appalling and atrocious things were happening. Plenty of people still alive from the Stolen Generation or children of the Stolen Generation. It really was not that long ago.
All this vote is is for the Indigenous community to be formally built into our governing system so they have a platform for them to be heard.
All the “what if’s” and “buts” and suggesting that it would “cause deep division” within their own communities (WTF) is just a way to play down your racism.
Did we wait and trial stealing some white babies from their families first?
Did we wait and think about the Indigenous people found to be living on the land before we stuck our flags down and called it ours?
I hope the majority of Australians desire true reconciliation and can see that this is another step towards that.
As for the production – very well done. Costume, art dept, directing and the use of archival footage is excellent. Well done to all involved, you should be very proud of this work.
Seems all the aholes are back on their keyboards again.
Did 2GB tell you to be outraged again?
Keep your wifebeaters on.
A yes vote will make the world marginally better, it won’t make it worse.
A yes vote isn’t woke.
And a yes vote won’t outlaw your right to be a prick.
We wouldn’t dare take away the one thing you are good at.
The brigading in this comments section by people outside the industry is a little bit funny. Makes the no campaign seem hilariously unhinged. So please keep that up.
I really wanted the Yes campaign to launch with a good emotional ad, but I didn’t understand this one. Too many characters. Too many shots. Good get on the song though.
Wake me up when we start talking about the creative, and the ad.
If I wanted to see this thread, I’d head straight to Daily Mails page.
It’s a nice comfortable feel good ad and will do very little to change already made up minds.The last thing a powerful ,thought provoking YES campaign needs are nice comfortable, feel good ads.
Agree with Ron here. This campaign needed to drag people both off the fence and from over the other side where the echo chamber has become so loud it’s impossible to listen. Feelgood is fine for those who live on emotion. The no side are weaponising the rational.
Apart from the many who are just here to attack the idiocy of the overly woke, there’s been a few voices above on the no side who have made interesting and compelling arguments – way better than what I’ve heard from the pollies. This is real debate and it’s all too rare in this matter.
I’m voting yes because who am I to deny a whole people the chance at better lives? Whether it works or doesn’t the chance is here. I’m definitely not woke, I just feel it’s the most decent thing to do. If you don’t, that’s your matter. If it’s because you don’t have enough detail, there’s lots of explainers, perspectives and expert opinion on this link…. https://theconversation.com/the-voice-to-parliament-explained-212100
A lot of talent and a lot of hard work has gone into it and potentially a lot of voices in the production. This is what i would have done, if I had the privilege.
I would have changed up the casting and art department. Kinda reminded me of a Puberty Blues episode.
I would have cut out the family watching telly. Especially some of the irrelevant footage, like the America’s Cup and the bush fires.
I would have had a young indigenous girl cover and duet this with John F to demonstrate the union.
I think the choice of song was a master stroke and one that will resonate with heartland. I think the visuals don’t add anything.
I was also a massive fan of the first “History is Calling” ad. I am voting Yes.
I think you’re both expecting too much from advertising. An ad will never convince someone to switch their vote. This is for the people who are have no idea which way to vote/don’t care (I’m guessing this is still the majority.) It’s a nice montage to show positive historical moments and to link the voice to that.
couldn’t have said it better myself. A lot of people love this song and it will resonate with those that you have mentioned.
It’s great to see this topic being debated. I only wish people could be civil and stop labelling each other as woke or racist. We are fortunate to live in a democracy where we can have a say in our Constitution. Great article here from Annabel Crabb which explores the myths of the Yes and the No and unpacks some of the facts. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-03/voice-referendum-vote-on-92-words-stay-out-of-weeds/102800166?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other
Isn’t showing the Endeavour as little tone deaf ?
Conservatives are the new punk rock.
australia’s national sport is sport innit, and barbies. well done monkeys and warwick thornton. this is just brilliant. YES!
You live in a culture and likely a family and a social system that has trained you to think you are actually better. Luckier. More deserving. You will create any argument to halt the dismantlement of that.
Also the people tearing apart the ad, you are boring as balls.
….Isn’t choice a wonderful thing 🙂
This just helped me make up my mind and convinced me to vote NO!
Can agency creative please stop photocopying off ‘No’ posters using the job number LRB42069.
The Voice was also used for Hahn beer in 2018.
So that’s three other TV spots it’s been used by.
So hardly a coup.
Not every straight white man is voting No, but every No voter is a straight white man.
You’re really going to get them onside with boofhead comments like that aren’t you? I’m a straight white male who listens to MMM and I’m voting yes. Why? I have indigenous family and friends. I am also capable of empathy. Your comment on the other hand is racist, sexist and misandrist. And the ‘straight white men’ you’re referring to are probably fed up with your kind of bullshit. And you’re just giving them more reason to say ‘fuck you, I’m voting no’. Pick a cause, not a fight.
The left used to be about love and tolerance.
These days they spit more hate and vile than any other group, calling for anybody who dares to have an opinion other than theirs to be shamed, bullied and isolated from society.
Yet they truly believe they are the “good guys”.
The voice is not a left/right issue. Tony Abbott initiated the process of holding a constitutional convention to ask first nations people what form they would like constitutional recognition to take. The consensus from the convention was a constitutionally enshrined voice to parliament. The concept is supported by many former and current Liberal party members incl former NSW premiers Mike Baird & Dom Perrottet.
Gross. Here we go with the Lefty bigotry again. Do you also steal your creative from Twitter or is it just the petty catchphrases?
Remember this from 2018?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRYGuiZdAbM
Lol yep, never thought I’d live in a world where the Left is the “The Man” (oh the irony) yet here we are.
Also lol at the comments above claiming this thread is being brigaded. It’s almost as if there are still conservatives in the ad industry (although they’ve mostly been silenced).
We pay our respects to elders past and present – unless they are white and male. In that case, they are oppressive racists, right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjkrjYitgeA
For what it’s worth. I think this ad is good.
There you go again, playing the victim.
What a boring zero sum game you like to play.
The good guys land a good jab and it’s all tears from your fragility.
You’re just not used to having your sky news feelings hurt.
Back in your box mate.
Looks like Sky has set their minions onto the comment section. Gutter trash comments, even for cb blog
There is nothing really creative about this, any agency in Australia could of used the music and made this spot, seriously…
Big mistake for John Farnham to use his song as part of this campaign push… The fact Albo admitted he hasn’t even read the 26 page document should be voice for concern.
What a sad state of affairs, anyone voting NO will get chastised as every YES voter changes their social media profile with their YES badge to virtue signal to anyone who thinks otherwise.
Democracy is dead…
Only one more label and I’ll have completed my Lefty Harassment bingo card!
For anyone playing at home, apparently anyone who questions the Voice is:
– White ✔
– Straight ✔
– Male ✔
– Over 40 ✔
– Watches Sky News ✔
– Reads Murdoch Media ✔
– A Racist ✔
Hit the nail on the head
What’s to question old mate?
If you read anything apart than the hysterical squeals of the perennially aggrieved, you would have all the answers you need.
Time to use your critical mind if you remember how.
What’s the record for most number of comments on Campaign Brief? Are we near it yet?
My goodness the piss and vinegar on show! Hey now!
Good to see the Yes campaign finally doing some, what you call it, campaigning; Not a terrible ad, not an amazing ad.
Hope this is the first of many spots in the next month or so to rally the nation, convince the undecideds, etc.
What an honour and privilege The Monkeys were handed to produce this spot, it seems they’ve taken to it with energy and care.
My heartfelt best wishes to the Yes campaign. I sincerely hope you succeed.
This whole thing is real racism that judges people by the colour of their skin rather than by the content of their character. Just because you like this sort of racism doesn’t make it any less racist.
To absolutely no surprise, the sewer dwellers of this stale, pale and male industry flock to Campaign Brief where they can spew their casual racism under the guise of creative critique.
“stale, pale and male industry”
I take it you haven’t walked through a creative department the last five years…
How about all of you stfu for once. this comments page is a disgrace
The left can only attack the person rather than tackle the argument. Degrading somebody for being white, straight, male, over 40 years old, or whatever other “evil” label the left reaches for today doesn’t get anybody to side with the issue progressives claim to be championing. Again, it’s this obsession the left has with comfortably grouping diverse people under a single label that brought us to The Voice. Believe it or not, all Aboriginal people are not the same. They were never “one nation” either, but a multitude of tribes who certainly did not always see eye to eye.
Again, not a left/right issue. Supported by many sitting liberal members, former lib NSW Premiers, Australia’s first Indigenous Indigenous Affairs minister (Ken Wyatt, Liberal Party) …
“The latest data from Advertising Council Australia’s (ACA) annual salary survey from March 2023, which draws on data from more than 5000 salaries from 123 ACA member ad agencies across Australia, found that the overall industry is 59 per cent female and 41 per cent male.”
Remind me again, why is The Aunties a thing?
Yikes and gross. Literally the whitest boomer take I’ve eva read. Thank f@ck you Murdock brains are being replaced lol. Cry harder. VOTE YES!!!!
Sigh… It’s as if the real right are pretending to be the left and making comments so moronic, the reasonable centre are being pushed right.
Ummmmm lol some of you have clearly not read dark emu. Aboriginal people literally lived in CITIES with a central government. It’s been proven. Educate yourselves before you make yourself look even more stupid and racist.
Is it because you won’t be happy until there are no men left in the industry?
@yesyesyes that’s fake news. Real, peer-reviewed history, archeology and anthropology studies confirm that Australian Aboriginal Society was a classic Stone-Age Hunter Gatherer Society prior to British settlement, with albeit a glimmer of an expected Neolithic advancement underway: https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/dark-emu-exposed
Well that solves everything.
A link to anonymous article citing two articles from the world’s most renowned expert on everything, Andrew Bolt.
Touché Nononono.
You are a mental giant.
No seriously, if 59% of the Australian advertising industry are female why are The Aunties indoctrinating young female creatives to fight the “patriarchy”.
Is it because the truth is inconvenient? Could it be because the snakes of the world use compassion as a cover to manipulate the young and impressionable?
“The latest data from Advertising Council Australia’s (ACA) annual salary survey from March 2023, which draws on data from more than 5000 salaries from 123 ACA member ad agencies across Australia, found that the overall industry is 59 per cent female and 41 per cent male.”
Wait, what??? Why isn’t anyone talking about this.
Gets to 200 comments. Big milestone. We can do it. More arguing, trolling and shit posting please.
LOUD NOISES!
“The right are conspiracy theory nutters!!!”
Yet
“These cookers supporting the no vote on our pure-think advertising blog must be blow-ins sent here from 2GB/Daily Mail!!!!!”
And
“The real right is pretending to be lefties on here to push centralists over to their side!!!!!”
Kek
Wow there’s a lot of butt-hurt in this thread.
But that’s nothing compared to what’s coming when a loud NO-vote bitchslaps a generation of dreamers.
Also, several of you owe me rent. Pay up.
There you go again.
Saying the quiet bit out loud.
Just being a prick to upset people.
You really are an inspiration.
The idea of doing something to help people,
only makes you think about yourself.
What a wonderful human you are.
Your obituary will be short.
He was an d!ck. He did nothing to help people.
He is now gone. The end.
Fascinating reading all the whining comments from sooks that need to resort name-calling!
I’m NOT/DON’T:
– white
– over 40
– a racist
– consume Murdoch media
I’ll be voting NO. So what does that make me?
So many angry, frustrated and confused people out there.
If $33b a year of tax-payer dollars isn’t enough for Aboriginals, what will this inVoice to Parliament achieve?
Nothing kills an average product quicker than good advertising.
Unfortunately the country is divided and confused. There is no clarity around how this will work and our leaders have made it a political issue. I’ll vote YES in the hope there is positive change for First Nations peoples. That’s my choice because it’s a democracy not because you put a selfie on social media.
Can the loving and tolerant left please not go looting or burning down buildings when they don’t get what they want and NO wins?
How can they be “first nations people” when they never had a nation? They lived in separate warring tribes and were never “one”. Rewriting Aboriginal history is also racist, as you’re saying that how they really lived wasn’t good enough. The same goes for the trash written by Bruce Pascoe retconning Aboriginal history to feel comfy for today’s lovies who felt being hunter and gathers was far too primitive.
Comrades, you know what must be done to counter the disgusting racism in these comments. Question white, straight, male men in the agency today publically. Make it known that we support YES, and our industry is no longer suited to them. Watch them squirm.
The money isn’t enough. First Nations people need to be the landlords of all property in Australia because it is THEIR land, not YOURS. Imagine if one day a white man decided that your house was theirs – and that was the end of the matter. Have you caught up now?
We work in one of the most damaging, virtueless industries that exploit fear and insecurities for capitalist profits at the detriment of society.
You aren’t one of the “good guys” by countering this fact by supporting feel-goods from the comfort of your inner-city bubble.
We are made up of egotistical, self-absorbed, and shallow people who worship ourselves as God. (The other thing we bow down to is consumerism.)
So please stop kidding yourself that advertising is a noble and progressive profession.
Also, the last ad from The Monkees was for the TAB, encouraging Australians to “gamble, gamble gamble!” at a time many can’t even afford to live. So stunning, so brave.
Are you saying that feel-goods like me wearing my “Always was, always will be” t-shirt and putting “living on stolen land” in my social media bios isn’t enough? Like, should I get off these stolen lands and stop colonising them then?
Plenty of triggered white men in the comments. All byproducts of a low sperm count. Your tears are delicious.
No voters like Nickelback.
Just to clarify, the Voice to parliament is simply about amending the Constitution to recognise the First Australians.
A Voice will give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a say in the decision-making processes that impact them. Nothing more, nothing less.
It won’t have power to veto government decisions, nor will there be a spooky boogeyman coming to take your negatively geared properties from you.
Helping marginalised communities have a say in the public policy that impacts them is a great thing. If you were attempting to tackle homelessness, the best thing to do would be to speak with people experiencing it to understand the challenges they’ve faced, and develop policy that helps address that.
The Voice isn’t controversial when you spend just a few minutes reading into it. It’s a question of compassion, and being a better country. I’m voting YES, and it has nothing to do with my personal politics – which are diverse regardless.
Let’s make history.
Cracks me up that the Lefties in this thread have exposed themselves as the biggest racists of all.
For anyone who wants to get top-line, we actually have the ESG score system to blame for the a lot of the attitudes of the indoctrinated lefties in advertising these days.
“Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is a framework used to assess an organisation’s business practices and performance on various sustainability and ethical issues.”
Basically the mega-cap investment firms that finance advertising holding companies like Omnicom and WPP implemented a system a few years back whereby they will only invest money in “woke” agencies with a high ESG score. Hence, the introduction of DEI officers, HR policies banning the hiring of straight, white men, activist campaign after activist campaign, the introduction of “green” and “for good” awards.
It’s pretty scary / interesting when you read up on it. It all comes back to the mighty dollar and unfortunately those holding the purse are activists.
Lots of no voters here objecting to being pigeonholed by the woke. And fair enough. My issue is apart from maybe 2 posts above there’s been no convincing articulation of why you’re voting no. Convincing enough to deny people a chance at a better life. ‘We don’t know how it’s going to work’ is not what we’re debating here. Isn’t the vote about giving a chance to work?
Thank you! 187 comments in and finally someone says something of value.
Great encapsulation of the Yes argument.
Let’s get this to 200 baby!
I think it is foolish to permanently embed something into our constitution to see if it might work. What if it doesn’t work? What if it makes things worse? What if it creates new and unanticipated problems? You’re stuck with it. Forever!
As a proud small ‘c’ conservative, to me, that is just a terrible idea. I’m more of a try-before-you-buy kind of middle-aged, white guy when it comes to change.
Now, most people are keen to see Aboriginal history acknowledged in our constitution. Most people are also keen to see a closing of the ‘gap.’ However, implanting a race-based amendment to our constitution is a risky and flawed way of achieving either of those goals.
I am also concerned by the damage that will be done to the psyche of Aboriginal people if the referendum fails. To me, it may well prove itself to be an idea whose time has not come, and, therefore, was not worth the risk of pursuing and seeing it possibly fail.
(That’s not a reason to vote for it, by the way.)
1. Because it’s cementing racial divide into the very fabric of our country. How are we meant to stamp out racism when people are treated differently based on their skin colour?
2. Indigenous Australians aren’t one giant homogenous group, they are comprised of hundreds of different factions with different ideals. Ideals different that armed conflict wasn’t uncommon between these groups.
3. There is zero detail. It’s the equivalent of signing a home loan without reading the terms and conditions. There are a number of activists with their own agendas who can easily leverage the ambiguity of the voice to the detriment of regular Australians.
4. It essentially places a big rubber stamp on the constitution confirming that Australia is a racist country, which it is not. I know the indoctrinated progressives will take offence to this point but to imply Australia is a racist country in 2023 is just fundamentally deceptive and wrong.
To quote the brilliant Morgan Freeman, you know how you stop racism? You stop talking about f*cking racism:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Eui0Nwlqlz8
No-one is arguing against engaging with those affected by government policy or with those in desperate need of government assistance. That’s a given. If anything, I’m not really sure what an elected member of the Voice from, say, urban WA has to offer in terms of solving the issues in a remote community in northern Queensland. I’m also not sure what the value of the Voice is when Linda Burney has already said that the Voice’s priorities are to be health, education and housing. What happened to all that consultation? The Voice hasn’t even been voted in and the relevant Minister is setting the agenda! Maybe its members will want to focus on alcohol abuse and domestic violence. Surely, that’s up to them.
There is also a question as to whether you give one group a unique constitutional position ahead of everyone else. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Why not have a voice for women, the disabled, the elderly, the young, the recently arrived migrant, the poor, the non-university educated, the homeless, the dyslexic? Seriously? Why not? At some point, you need to accept that we already have the best system available – democracy, where every eligibly voter has one vote. It’s not a perfect system. It is at risk of lobby groups with the resources to jump the queue to influence government etc. It’s a system that needs constant vigilance and improvement. But it’s better than enshrining a system that gives added voice to a single, racially defined section of the community – however, historically disadvantaged that group may have been.
Indeed, I would argue that given the level of political, media and community time spent on this issue, the Aboriginal people already have one of the loudest voices in the country – certainly, disproportionately to their numbers. Perhaps their issues run deeper than not having the ear of government and policymakers.
A few points:
1. The Voice is proposed to be made up of representatives from across the country. You absolutely wouldn’t expect someone from urban WA to be an expert in remote Northern Queensland. Again, why the Voice will draw on knowledge, experience, and expertise from across the country, and across age groups. Surely you’ve considered this.
2. With all due respect to Linda Burney, it is not her call to make. The Voice will exist entirely outside government, and it will be those representatives chosen to make up the Voice that will determine the issues of the day that are discussed or fed back on. Having said that, Ms Burney’s points regarding health, education, and housing are worth discussing – and I’d be surprised if an independent Voice didn’t make them key priorities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live eight years less than non-Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people commit suicide at a rate two times higher than non-Indigenous Australians. Indigenous Australians have the worst rates of disease in the nation, and child mortality is nearly twice that of non-Indigenous Australians. Health should be a priority, and I’m personally glad government can see that.
3. Your point re. having a Voice for “women, the disabled, the elderly, the young, the recently arrived migrant, the poor, the non-university educated, the homeless, the dyslexic” is, with respect, ignorant. All Australians deserve respect, no matter what their circumstances. No one is arguing that. The reality of the Voice is that it is being proposed because, for decades, politicians have spent billions on programs that haven’t fixed problems or delivered meaningful improvements for Indigenous communities. I’m happy to say inroads have been made in a number of the other areas cynically mentioned, women’s equality, disability and aged care (NDIS/aged care wage increases and RN24/7 legislation to name just a few recent changes). It’s not perfect. But we have mechanisms and programs that are working, and there is more work to be done there. But the suggestion that every community must have a Voice or none at all, is simply a cynical means for muddying the waters.
4. No system is perfect, I agree, but it doesn’t mean we should abandon all efforts. It’s like suggesting you’ll never catch a bus because it doesn’t take you exactly where you want to go.
5. Issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are firmly on the agenda because the Voice is being democratically decided on. Prior to 2007, the Howard years meant virtual anonymity for First Nations Australians. Cynical government policy stagnated work to genuinely improve outcomes.
6. “Perhaps their issues run deeper than not having the ear of government and policymakers.” I’d say they do, but much of it starts with smart policy and decision-making, and that begins with government engagement. It proves the point YES campaigners are making, that a simple Voice – to be heard by those democratically-elected to government, means a great chance at a brighter future.
Great use of an iconic anthem, nice one Monkeys
Thanks both. Now we’re back on track.
200!
Cheers.
I appreciate your detailed response. It’s obviously a topic that you have thought about deeply and have considered views on.
I do not have an issue with there being a body that seeks to canvass the opinions of Aboriginal people on matters that directly affect them. That makes sense. Further, based on the metrics you have put forward, such a body is clearly needed and could make a meaningful difference. Perhaps.
Should it be a national body? Should its members be elected? Sure.
Now, I’m not trying to muddy the waters or engage in cynicism.
I simply do not believe that such a body needs to be nor should it be implanted as a permanent feature of the constitution.
To me, that creates two classes of race-based citizens in Australia’s foundation politico-legal document. I don’t believe that is a defensible idea.
You might argue that a two-class, racially-based system was always at the core of this country’s founding and remains in place anyway. Even if that is true, two wrongs don’t make a right.
I am also of the view that despite its best intentions and clear aims, it is an untried mechanism that could have deleterious and unexpected outcomes – for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. And if it does, we as a nation are stuck with it regardless. Maybe we could change the model down the track. However, the ease with which that could be done, and the political and legal ramifications are unknowable.
People will then argue that unless it’s part of the constitution it could be sidelined or even dissolved like ATSIC. But maybe the ATSIC experience is worth considering, too. I am not an expert on ATSIC but believe it was disbanded due to corruption and poor governance.
There is strong goodwill towards Aboriginal people. I wish to see them prosper whilst retaining a connection to their age-old customs and traditions.
I still believe the Voice is a bad idea.
You write: ‘Should its members be elected? Sure’.
Sadly, members of The Voice won’t be elected, they’ll be chosen.
As the referendum working group itself states, ‘It will be chosen by First Nations people on the wishes of the local communities’.
Of more concern is that many aboriginal women will be denied the opportunity to be involved in that process because decision-making
is still ‘men’s business’ in tribal groups.
That should read ‘is still men’s business in many tribal groups’
New record?
Not even close.
https://campaignbrief.com/clemenger-bbdo-melbournes-cont/
I will not be paying the invoice to parliament.
If the referendum was solely about indigenous Australians being represented in the constitution and having a separate voice only on matters that affect them, I’d vote yes in a heartbeat. The fact that it is about indigenous Australians having a separate voice to not just parliament, but also the executive levels of government, including the Reserve Bank or the Defence force – on any issue they deem is related to them, including land issues or parking tickets – it’s an absolute no from me. Look at the facts, they are all there for everyone to see.
STOP USING LOGIC YOU BIGOT! /s
People enjoyed the right to keep their voting preferences to themselves. And, most people didn’t ask how one would vote. What I suspect here, on CB is, that most of the tools word screaming here are simply very frustrated with their working life in the industry. One day, when you grow up people, you’ll re-read all your negative posts and come to realise that your own personal anger was just another personal attack on yourself.
Ultimately, your anger stunts your own growth.
Lol mate, you’re talking about an industry where you now have to put your pronouns in your email signature if you want to be considered for a promotion. Thanks for the righteous morality lesson though. Go buy another dream catcher for your Cayenne.
Get to 300 comments? Come on, we can do it!
AGREE! Way too many salty white racists in here missing the point completely. VOTE YES
The AEC desperately needs to change the voting card to reflect reality.
Forget yes or no. Be honest and make the boomers write:
“No, I am a racist.”
Start each day in the office with a mandatory Welcome to Country ceremony.
Anybody who fails to thoroughly acknowledge First Nations people as the true and rightful owners of Australia is swiftly given their goodbyes.
Simples.
This will not only remove racism from our industry, but it will also cleanse our profession of capitalists, boomers, transphobes, climate deniers and anti-vaxxers. (In other words, conservatives.)
Many degenerate birds, one stone.
Way too many tiresome losers too ignorant to do their own independent research while throwing hypocritically racist labels around.
(Sorry, I forgot racism towards caucasians is ok in 2023).
I like it.
I already start my day by loudly screaming “SORRY FOR BEING A STRAIGHT WHITE GUY!” out the window of my apartment each morning so this one shouldn’t be too hard to manage.
Back into the shit talking again. I don’t think everyone who’ll vote no is racist.
But everyone who’s racist will vote no.
Everyone who wants to properly stick it up the woke agenda will vote no.
And everyone who wants to properly stick it up Albo will vote no.
And these 3 combined will probably get no over the line. That’s what really sucks.
People should be free to live their lives however they so choose. Equally, I just shouldn’t have to celebrate them.
The poor, systematically oppressed caucasian male? Hilarious. Guess the saying is true, “When you’re accustomed to privilege equality feels like oppression”.
Young straight white men are quite literally the most marginalised demographic right now. They’re the punching bag of society when they’ve done nothing to deserve it. There’s a reason there’s a male mental health crisis going on, you’re just so indoctrinated by the bile being spat out by fourth wave feminism you’re incapable of noticing it.
Whites have ridden the gravy train for far too long, crushing the souls of every other shade. A change is coming. VOTE YES.
As a person with a First Nations friend, I can confirm that racism is literally everywhere in Australia.
My friend suffers constant hate and abuse everywhere he goes in public, and yes, it’s all from white men. He also earns half of what a white man earns doing literally the exact same job. If he goes shopping, his bags are thoroughly searched in every store, to the point he only shops online now. If he risks having a night out, no bars or clubs will let him in. This hate has cost him his confidence and he can’t work. To make things even worse, Centrelink refuses to answer his phone calls due to the colour of his skin.
Take all that in for a moment and ask yourself how you could possibly vote no?
Be on the right side of history team.
So how about ALL OF YOU get the fuck off that stolen land? Voting yes doesn’t negate the fact you’re a literal coloniser at this very moment.
There is no such thing as white privilege. You never hear Indian or Asian people living in ostensibly “white” societies complaining of the phenomenon. They simply let their intelligence, resourcefulness and hard work do the talking for them. And bloody good on them, too. They are not waiting around for government to help them get ahead. They just get on with it. Now, I’m not some social Darwinist. There is an important role for government programs to support those living in poverty and the like. However, tearing other people down so that some others might get ahead, isn’t the answer. Never was, never will be.
Imagine having your entire life delivered to you on a silver spoon for the simple fact of having white skin believe any of these lies… gross. Pull your head in.
White guy here with two lifelong half indigenous brothers as friends. They quietly laugh their asses off at the white saviours trying to campaign on their behalf, they both have high paying white collar jobs, are both close followers of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Warren Mundine and are both voting no because they don’t believe Australia should be divided based on race.
This is arguably the most racist comment on this thread.
Which group will be the next most stunning and brave?
Previous winners such as women and garden-variety gays have lost their crown due to the rise of the most perfect people in society – trans women.
Late mail suggests that males with “younger appetites” will be the next big thing “love is love” lefties will champion if recent reports from the ABC calling for the softening of language towards such individuals are to be believed.
Downfall to come.
Love the craft of the ad and interested to see how it’s absorbed by the rest of the nation. And well done on creating a bit of a stir. Heads up, everyone! 💙
Hahahaha nice story sad it’s a fantasy inside your own head. If you really had First Nation friends you would know the daily struggle and hardships they go through each and every day just because of the colour of their skin. I can’t believe it’s 2023 and you’re still trying to say Australia isn’t rooted in deep racism. Look at the research, Australia is the most racist country on earth. The common factor? White people. But cope all you like. As all that matters to you is that others pay your rent, right? Gross.
Most racist country on earth? Your evidence?
If you really had “First Nation friends” – you wouldn’t f-ing call them that you fake. As someone with very strong connections to land, people and country, I find your comment extremely offensive. Where your mob? Who your mob? What right your mob? Walk…
Sorry bud, true story. Believe what you wanna believe, I really don’t care. You can’t argue with crazy.
An elder once said to me, there are two types of people. Dickheads and arseholes. Now it doesn’t matter which tribe they’re from, you’ll have dickheads and arseholes wherever you go. Hang out with the dickheads, because at least they’re not arseholes.
A bunch of white people telling us why we should vote for our indigenous cousins to have more say in our country. But only in the white way that’s proposed, not the proper way. Sounds great. Thank you white people for telling me how to vote for my brothers, aunties, uncles and sisters.
Holy mother of irony. It’s the Yes campaign telling us how to think you absolute nutjob, catch up. Hell our taxpayer-funded, “unbiased” “impartial” national broadcaster the ABC is running 24 hours of Yes propaganda a day. That’s a BIG problem in what is meant to be a free society where everyone has the right to think and vote as they see fit. Also the level of racism towards white Australians and general levels of misandry in this thread is off the charts, you’ve all proven yourselves to be the bitter, spiteful bigots you claim to be rallying against. Nothing is a conversation with you people, it’s just “think our way or face our wrath”. Australia is rapidly turning into the woke nightmare that is Canada.
Also lmao at the insane comment above saying “indigenous” is a dirty word. You lefties have lost all grip on reality. I’m out.
“White way that’s proposed – ?”
Isn’t The Voice an Indigenous construct?
The referendum is a “white” concept, I guess. Perhaps the liberal values of freedom, equality and the rule of law that underpin it are not shared by Indigenous society…
There’s no point arguing with the hopelessly indoctrinated activists in this thread who refuse to listen to reason. At the end of the day, this is all you need to know:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/ng-interactive/2023/sep/04/indigenous-voice-to-parliament-poll-results-polling-latest-opinion-polls-referendum-tracker-newspoll-essential-yougov-news-by-state-australia
Seriously starting to reconsider working in the Australian advertising industry after seeing some of the disgusting hate against white males in this thread especially when as seen in a comment above, the industry is already almost 60% female dominated. Why work in an industry that punishes you just for existing.
Safely tucked away under their blankies of anonymity, the racist white men commenting here suddenly feel safe enough to go “mask off” to explicitly dribble their verbal diarrhea without consequence.
I can’t blame the far right for hiding their everyday nonsensical thoughts deep down, to only bring it to the surface in the company of like-minded bigots – yet I recommend they stuff their hateful thoughts deep down their Y-fronts – as ain’t no man or woman going to penetrate that level of unwashed neckbeard stench.
The happy news is that I can see a real, optimistic change we should be proud of. Whites are being openly ridiculed and shamed for everything from hoarding multiple properties, treating coloured colleagues beneath them, and doing their best to destroy our planet. Old white men are being pushed out of their jobs in record numbers. The most successful companies have put a hiring freeze on straight, white men. And this is just the happy beginning, so strap in!
And sure, there will always be white racists who don’t agree with correct scientifically-proven opinions, but their world is getting smaller and smaller each day until they eventually cancel themselves out of existence.
Good riddance to them. The future is looking brighter than ever, comrades.
Are we finally intelligent enough as a nation to burn down the racist coloniser flag, and replace it with the peaceful, loving, and strikingly beautiful Aboriginal flag – a flag in which NO blood was spilled in its name.
And to all the confused smooth brains punching cones in your housso flat. Put down the bong for just one minute, and it will all make sense:
VOICE > TREATY > TRUTH TELLING > RECONCILIATION > COMENSATION.
Could the English larguage get any more simple? Even a souther-cross-tatted deadbeat could understand it. (Maybe.)
To think I had to write such a paper that’s clearly below me.
Trolling…
Nice tries!
Before questioning our intelligence,you might like to learn how to spell ‘compensation’.
I’d vote yes in a heartbeat if it was what they’re proposing. It isn’t. Good luck to anyone who owns property or is mortgaged if it gets through.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12391489/The-truth-reparations-demands-Uluru-Statement-Heart-key-architect-speaks-out.html
I just can’t anymore. Our industry is the most racist of all trades. Just Today I was told to remove my YES shirt before a client meeting. If I was wearing a NO shirt, I’m betting nothing would have been said. NO voters have no idea how much violence and hate we are literally facing every day for supporting our cause. Perhaps it’s time we started to mock people wearing NO shirts to teach them what it’s like? The NO voters have been privileged and protected for too long. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re white? Makes you think…
I burst out into uncontrollable tears entering my office today. Yes posters were on every wall. Pamphlets were placed on every table telling you to vote yes. Those who identify as Aboriginals are given now special privileges. And even more uplifting, we now conduct an ancient Welcome To Country ceremony before each meeting. A real difference is being made and I for one am proud to be forever respected for being on the right side of history.
The proposed invoice to parliament is a straw man. It will be based on what you earn rather than a blanket amount. Switch off Sky News and chill.
Someone much smarter than me told me not so long ago that they felt the biggest threat facing the Australian advertising industry was the loss of the skills… and inclination… to have constructive debate. Almost every comment here reinforces that idea for me. Surely we can do better?
This has to be satire.