First Nations lawyer, academic and activist Noel Pearson has given the first of four lectures that will be broadcast by the ABC.

In his first address, Pearson shared his fear that a proposed referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament might fail.

The exact words he used were "perish in the mud".

Pretty evocative language, but Pearson wasn’t finished there.

He also said that if the referendum outcome was predicated on the popularity of indigenous Australians as a people, then it is doubtful it will succeed.

He described the country’s First Nations people as a much unloved group in our society.

And said as a result, achieving recognition would be more difficult than it was to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia.

And this goes back to the idea that Indigenous people are unloved by white Australia.

Pearson said  that Unlike same-sex marriage, there is not the requisite empathy of love for aboriginal people to break through the prejudice, contempt and violence, of the past. 

He said Australians have a closer connection to the LGBT community, but simply do not have Aboriginal people within their circles of family and friendship… 

You know what… he’s absolutely right.

First Nations lawyer, academic and activist Noel Pearson has given the first of four lectures that will be broadcast by the ABC.
In his first address, Pearson shared his fear that a proposed referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament might fail.
The exact words he used were "perish in the mud".
Pretty evocative language, but Pearson wasn’t finished there.
He also said that if the referendum outcome was predicated on the popularity of indigenous Australians as a people, then it is doubtful it will succeed.
He described the country’s First Nations people as a much unloved group in our society.
And said as a result, achieving recognition would be more difficult than it was to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia.
And this goes back to the idea that Indigenous people are unloved by white Australia.
Pearson said  that Unlike same-sex marriage, there is not the requisite empathy of love for aboriginal people to break through the prejudice, contempt and violence, of the past. 
He said Australians have a closer connection to the LGBT community, but simply do not have Aboriginal people within their circles of family and friendship… 
You know what… he’s absolutely right.

If you enjoyed listening to The West Live for your daily news fix, then come and join us over on The Nightly Five.  Host Ben O’Shea continues to deliver punchy news and analysis, in a new podcast to get you in front of tomorrow’s news today!  Subscribe on your favourite podcast player and visit the thenightly.com.au

If you enjoyed listening to The West Live for your daily news fix, then come and join us over on The Nightly Five.  Host Ben O’Shea continues to deliver punchy news and analysis, in a new podcast to get you in front of tomorrow’s news today!  Subscribe on your favourite podcast player and visit the <a href="https://thenightly.com.au">thenightly.com.au</a>

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