One of the woozier post–George Floyd Anglosphere developments was the Australian Aboriginal “Voice” referendum on whether or not to add this ill-defined language to the Australian constitution:
Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.”
The English language is rich in terminology for representative political bodies, such as parliament, congress, council, debating society, sounding board, etc., etc. I’d never seen “voice” used as a synonym before. I presume this is because Aboriginal languages are bereft of such concepts, Aborigines having some of the smallest and least sophisticated societies known to anthropology. So the proponents came up with “voice” as the closest the Aboriginal mind had come up with to the concept.
Nobody was too sure what this all meant, but a reasonable fear was that courts would progressively expand the powers of the Voice, ultimately giving a bunch of blond, blue-eyed 15/16th white political science majors unearned power in a society in which it’s illegal to make fun of them.
It now appears that the Voice has been rejected by Australian voters.
