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The Project's Rove McManus shares powerful speech about the Voice referendum
'What are we doing to ourselves?'
TV host Rove McManus delivered a powerful speech on The Project on Friday evening about why Australians should “be decent” and vote ‘yes’ in the Voice to Parliament referendum on Saturday.
The triple Gold Logie award-winner, whose production company Roving Enterprises produces the Channel 10 current affairs program, told viewers that he had recently completed a postal vote and his decision was “very simple”.
“For Peter Dutton to say it's not properly explained and we don't have a compelling case, it is there,” he detailed.
“It says, ‘Do you choose to change the constitution to include First Nations people by having an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice? Yes or no’. It's that simple.
“I wrote, ‘Yes’. My daughter was there, she got it. She's nine. She said, ‘I can't believe anyone would vote ‘no’ to this’. And that's what breaks my heart. What are we doing to ourselves?
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Rove went on to describe the referendum as a moment in Australia’s history where people can “be proud and show what a wonderful country this is”.
“I know it has formal legalese in the wording of it, but all it is saying is when it comes to issues that directly affect First Nations people, should we listen to them? And we want to say ‘no’? That's mind-blowing to me,” he remarked.
Fellow panellist Georgie Tunny chimed in and pointed out that the vote is simply about giving Indigenous people “a place at the table”, adding: “It's not even forcing [the government] to take into account what that advisory board is advising.”
Rove also acknowledged criticism of the Voice for not going “far enough” to address the issues faced by Indigenous Australians and said he agrees with that line of argument.
“[But] you can't just drop at the top of Mount Everest, you’ve got to climb slowly and this is the only way you can do it. You’ve got to take tiny steps,” he said.
“And if it was up to First Nations people, over 80 per cent of them want this to happen. If it wasn't for us, it would happen. We're the ones stopping it.”
Viewers divided over Rove's speech
After a clip of Rove’s speech was shared on social media, a number of people took to the comments to share their thoughts.
“Finally an Aussie celebrity speaking out!! About damn time!!” MAFS’ Domenica Calarco wrote, followed by someone else who said, “I simply don’t understand how people can say 'no'. It’s un-Australian”.
“Good on you for speaking out and calling it for what it is! Thank you Rove!” another shared.
Meanwhile, others questioned why the comedian's opinion was “relevant”, with one viewer commenting: “He should not be sprouting his personal opinion on this subject.”
“This is a choice. Just lost all respect Rove! Need to find a more intelligent show to watch!” a different user replied, with another adding, “This is well out of line, the media should [be] neutral”.
SHOP:
Rove’s comments come shortly after media personality Abbie Chatfield shared a lengthy post on social media explaining why she’s voting ‘yes’, and the Gogglebox Australia cast members revealed how they’ll be voting.
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