It is a healthy sign to see so many grassroots people of all colours, shapes and sizes coming out in the No rallies that occurred across Australia. The lamestream media did not give any supportive coverage, and from what I have read on social media, they have under-estimated the number of people who did attend. But, that is expected, the media always does this to the side it is not supporting; just look at the coverage of the US 2016 elections, where the polls and media were wrong up to the last moment, because they were hoping that by misrepresenting Trump’s support, people would not want to be on the losing side. Ha, that doesn’t even work for sports teams!
But, it matters not. The momentum is beginning to be gained by the No side despite the vast money the woke corporates have flung into the campaign for Yes. I will be laughing to see them lose their millions. They richly deserve it. As well, a No person may no longer wish to spend their hard-earned money with these firms, if alternatives are available. That is consumer choice, right?
“Those who oppose an Indigenous Voice to Parliament have turned out in their hundreds at No campaign rallies across the country.
The main rally at Hyde Park in Sydney kicked off at midday on Saturday though the crowd appeared to be significantly smaller than the 10,000 people organisers had expected.
The Melbourne crowd was slightly bigger with some protesters carrying fake news placards along with the red ensign and Eureka stockade flags that were a fixture at many Covid 'freedom' protests.
In Adelaide about 200 people gathered in the CBD, while in Brisbane the No protest was dwarfed by a much larger Yes23 rally.
Controversial pro-Putin and anti-vaccine commentator Simeon Boikov, also known as the Aussie Cossack, hosted his own rallies in support of the No vote on Saturday.
Boikov in 2022 served three months in jail for breaching a suppression order when he publicly spoke about a then-active court matter.
When he got out he told an anti-vaxxer rally he wanted more equality for Indigenous Australians.
'I want to give a shout out to all the Indigenous brothers in (jail). It's a travesty that the prison population is something like 35 per cent Indigenous, where they make up two per cent, plus minus, of the population of Australia,' Boikov said.
He then slammed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for an alleged previous lack of concern for Aboriginal people.
Boikov has been accused of latching onto the anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown movements to raise his own profile and sow distrust of western governments.
The official 'No' campaign has distanced itself from Boikov, with opposition leader Peter Dutton condemning the rallies and warning people not to get them confused with the official event.
The official rallies were held across major metropolitan areas of Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, as well as Sydney, and regional locations including Casino and Yeppoon.
Some of the key speakers included conservative politicians like former United Australian Party member Craig Kelly - who was a regular at anti-vaccine rallies - along with current UAP senator Ralph Babet and NSW Liberal Democrat John Ruddick.
In Sydney, a smoking ceremony was followed by a traditional dance ceremony to start the two-hour long rally.
Prominent indigenous figures Budjiti elder Uncle Bruce Shillingsworth Senior and Ngunnawal elder Aunty Glenda Merritt also spoke at the event.
It is one of the last major pushes for the No campaign, less than a month out from the historic referendum which will determine whether an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament should be established.
The rally is being called the 'World Wide Rally For Freedom In Support Of No To the Voice,' and is being described by organisers as a 'wake-up call' to the nation ahead of the Voice referendum.”