The No campaign has dropped volunteers for making 'racist' comments

It comes amidst revelations a leading member of a conservative lobby group advocating against the Voice posted racist messages on social media.

Australian Aboriginal leader Warren Mundine speaks at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) NO ARCHIVING

Warren Mundine has said he will continue to fire any person who makes racist comments. Source: AAP

Warning: this article contains racist comments.

Leading No advocate Nyunggai Warren Mundine has dropped volunteers from his campaign for their racist comments, he confirmed on Tuesday.

Speaking to the ABC, Mr Mundine would not specify whether the remarks were directed at First Nations people.

"I’ve actually kicked several people off our campaign in regard to their comments and I intend to keep on doing that," the Bundjalung man said.

"It wasn’t particularly about Aboriginals, one was a very antisemitic comment ... I don’t accept any racial comments from anyone in regard to these issues."
It follows revelations that a fellow leading No advocate posted racist and derogatory messages to social media regarding high-profile Indigenous people.

David Adler, an advisory board member of conservative lobby group Advance, questioned Lidia Thorpe and Stan Grant's Indigenous identity in several posts.

Following Grant's departure from the ABC, Adler posted pictures of the Wiradjuri journalist in different lights and asked whether he had darkened his skin.

“STAN GRANT’S COMPLEXION SEEMS TO HAVE CHANGED” read the caption.

“Look at the 3 pics. Can anyone explain?”

Adler also engaged in racist notions of 'percentages' of Indigenous heritage in similar posts directed towards independent senator Lidia Thorpe, a Djab Wurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman.

“What % Aboriginal are you? You appear quite white,” read a March 2022 post.

“Not so sure she’s Blak (or Black)."

Mr Mundine said he objected to the statements, and attempted to distance his campaign, Recognise a Better Way, from Advance.

“I find those comments bizarre."

“Stan Grant and I went to university together, we’ve been mates for over 30 years, brothers in fact we consider ourselves. There is no question about where he comes from and no question about his Aboriginality at all.”
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2 min read
Published 15 August 2023 2:58pm
Updated 16 August 2023 2:07pm
By Dan Butler
Source: NITV


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