logo
Jubilant Penny Wong's cryptic swipe at her critics after her Voice gaffe almost derailed Albo's landslide election win

Jubilant Penny Wong's cryptic swipe at her critics after her Voice gaffe almost derailed Albo's landslide election win

Daily Mail​03-05-2025

Penny Wong has made a defiant Acknowledgement of Country on election night, after her Voice gaffe caused campaign woes for Labor earlier in the week.
Wong sparked a furore on Wednesday by predicting that the Voice - a separate indigenous body with powers to influence government legislation - will still be introduced despite it being voted down 60 per cent to 40 per cent in a 2023 referendum.
'We'll look back on it in 10 years' time and it'll be a bit like marriage equality,' Senator Wong told the Betoota Talks podcast.
'I always used to say, marriage equality, which took us such a bloody fight to get that done, and I thought, all this fuss... It'll become something, it'll be like, people go "did we even have an argument about that?"'
Her backing for the indigenous body came just three days after Anthony Albanese ruled out any attempt to bring back the Voice, telling the leaders' debate: 'It's gone... I respect the outcome (of the referendum), we live in a democracy.'
Albanese was forced to respond to Wong's comments and reassure voters that he was not planning another referendum, while the foreign minister made an apparent backflip, telling SBS, 'the Voice is gone... the prime minister has made that clear, and the Australian people have made their position clear, and we respect the result of the referendum.'
After Labor swept to victory in Saturday night's election, Wong took the stage at a Labor party in Sydney to introduce Albanese.
She made a point of performing a brief Acknowledgement of Country in her speech.
'The power in our 26 million people from more than 300 ancestries... from the oldest continuing civilisation on the planet and I acknowledge the traditional owners, friends we love this country,' she said.
Albanese then performed another Acknowledgement of Country in his own speech.
'I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet,' the Prime Minister said to cheers from supporters.
'And I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet.'
The Voice campaign was a major blow for the Labor government and Albanese, who hitched his legacy to the proposal.
He went to the 2022 federal election with the referendum promise, spoke about it in his first speech as the PM and campaigned tirelessly for most of 2023.
Wong's podcast interview earlier this week was seen as a political gift to Peter Dutton, who quickly accused the foreign minister of 'letting the cat out of the bag'.
'Under a Labor-Greens government we see this secret plan to legislate the Voice and Penny Wong has let that cat out of the bag,' Dutton said.
'People will be opposed to that because they thought they sent a very clear message to the Prime Minister that they didn't want the Voice.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Anthony Albanese's excuse is revealed for disappearing when Trump bombed Iran - as he's mocked: 'Right to disconnect'
Anthony Albanese's excuse is revealed for disappearing when Trump bombed Iran - as he's mocked: 'Right to disconnect'

Daily Mail​

time4 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Anthony Albanese's excuse is revealed for disappearing when Trump bombed Iran - as he's mocked: 'Right to disconnect'

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has slammed Anthony Albanese for failing to speak publicly for almost 24 hours on the US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. The former Liberal leader said Australia's allies 'need to know where it stands' after US President Donald Trump unleashed a fleet of B-2 bombers to 'obliterate' three Iranian nuclear enrichment sites on Sunday. 'We've heard from (UK Prime Minister) Keir Starmer, we've heard from (French President) Emmanuel Macron, we've heard from many,' Morrison told 2GB. 'I think it's very important that Australia makes it very clear where we stand. 'I think on the Middle East issue more broadly, particularly going back to October 7th, there's been an absolute fog of ambiguity when it comes to where the government stands on this issue, and in this case, particularly with our strongest ally. 'Now I think this has been a courageous action by President Trump.' The Prime Minister told 2GB host Ben Fordham that he would speak after the National Security Cabinet (NSC) convened a meeting on Monday morning. But Morrison insisted that an NSC meeting could have taken place on Sunday and that Albanese should have spoken on the 6pm news last night. 'Clarity requires timeliness, and so I look forward to a positive statement from the Prime Minister and the government and an acknowledgement of the right actions which have been taken by the US President,' Morrison added. One 2GB listener quipped that Albanese had been silent because he was 'just using his right to disconnect'. The right to disconnect law, which the Albanese government introduced last year, allows employees to refuse work-related contact outside of their working hours. It comes after the Albanese government shifted its tone on the US strikes on Monday morning. On Sunday, a government spokesperson offered no endorsement of the US decision to target Iranian nuclear facilities, instead calling 'de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy'. But after the Coalition offered its full support for the 'proactive action', Foreign Minister Penny Wong came out in support of Trump's military intervention. 'The world has agreed Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon. So yes, we support action to prevent that. And that is what this is,' Senator Wong told ABC's News Breakfast. 'The big question is, now what? And Australia says, like so many other countries, we do not want escalation and a full-scale war and we continue to call for dialogue and diplomacy.' When asked about the legality of the strikes, Senator Wong said: 'I think we are all clear that Iran… cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon. So yes, the government does support action to prevent that.' Following crisis talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday, Trump took to social media claim that the current Islamic regime 'is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN'. 'Why wouldn't there be a regime change,' Trump asked, rhetorically - even as he and Starmer urged Ayatollah Khameini to 'return to the negotiating table as soon as possible'. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was close to achieving its goals of destroying Iran's nuclear program. 'We won't pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve them, but we also won't finish too soon,' Netanyahu said on Monday. 'When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop,' Following an emergency session of the UN Security Council, Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the conflict risks 'descending into a rathole of retaliation'. 'W e now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation,' he said. 'To avoid it, diplomacy must prevail, civilians must be protected, safe maritime navigation must be guaranteed.'

Morning Mail: Iran says US ‘must receive a response' to strikes, Australians look to flee conflict zone, experts warn about ‘war on nicotine'
Morning Mail: Iran says US ‘must receive a response' to strikes, Australians look to flee conflict zone, experts warn about ‘war on nicotine'

The Guardian

time7 hours ago

  • The Guardian

Morning Mail: Iran says US ‘must receive a response' to strikes, Australians look to flee conflict zone, experts warn about ‘war on nicotine'

Good morning. All eyes are on Tehran as it weighs up options for retaliation after US airstrikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. Despite global calls for diplomacy and de-escalation, Israel is escalating its own bombing campaign against Iran. It's a terrifying wait for Australians with loved ones still trying to leave the Middle East, as the UN security council prepares to meet for talks over the crisis. And, closer to home, there are warnings that Australia is doomed to lose its struggle against nicotine if officials push a prohibition-style approach instead of focusing on harm reduction. Iran reaction | The Albanese government has called for 'de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy', but has been criticised for a 'weak' response to US airstrikes on Iran – as almost 4,000 Australian citizens still wait to escape the Middle East. 'Who knows if they're safe?' | Australians with family in Iran are anxiously awaiting Tehran's next move after it threatened retaliation over US airstrikes on its facilities. Nicotine battle | Australia is waging a 'de facto war on nicotine' that is doomed to fail in the same way as previous prohibition-style policies, experts say, amid efforts to combat the illicit tobacco trade. Missing out? | One of Australia's most popular savings account operators, ING, has ignored regulatory advice to tell customers when they are about to lose bonus rates on promotional accounts. In the name of science | Melbourne's Dr Véronique Paris has a hands-on approach to her research on mosquito-borne diseases: letting hundreds of mosquitoes bite her bare arm inside a special cage. Iran airstrikes | Iran's president says the US 'must receive a response' to its attack; Israel has bombed 'dozens of targets' across Iran after US claims the strikes at nuclear sites were an 'overwhelming success'; 'we weren't expecting it yet': US attack met with panic in Iran; the US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities is Trump's biggest gamble yet as president, Patrick Wintour writes; Iran moves to shut strait of Hormuz. Gaza crisis | One man's account of coming under fire during a desperate attempt to gather food aid for his family in Gaza; the Israeli military has recovered the remains of three hostages held by Hamas. 'I saw panic' | French police are questioning two people after Disneyland Paris was hired for an alleged fake marriage ceremony involving a girl aged about nine being posed as the 'bride'. Islamic State threat | A suicide bombing by Islamic State at a church in the old Christian quarter of Damascus has killed at least 20 people and wounded dozens more, Syrian authorities said. Immigration raids | A 68-year-old Mexican-born man has become the first Ice detainee in at least a decade to die, while being transported from a local jail to a federal detention centre. Salvaged vessel | The superyacht belonging to the late tech tycoon Mike Lynch has been moved to a town in Sicily where British and Italian investigators will examine its sinking. Mushroom trial comes to a close The mushroom trial that intrigued the world is drawing to a close after weeks of evidence. Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one of attempted murder, for allegedly and deliberately serving beef wellingtons laced with death cap mushrooms. Reged Ahmad speaks with Nino Bucci about the trial's final arguments as the jury prepares for deliberations. Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen $ Iran's Revolutionary Guards has warned the US to 'expect regrettable responses' to its airstrikes on the country's nuclear sites. However, Iran's proxy militias across the Middle East are sending mixed signals about their willingness to strike US targets. Their apparent reluctance or inability to come to Iran's aid will limit Tehran's options if it opts to escalate the conflict with the US, Jason Burke writes. There are two kinds of readers: those who would choose death before dog-ears and those whose books bear the marks of a life well read. But a new generation of readers are finding a way to combine both approaches by reviving the art and romance of marginalia, by transforming their books and reading experiences into #aesthetic artefacts. Caitlin Welsh looks at how 'annotating' books went from a big no-no to BookTok's next trend. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Tennis | Carlos Alcaraz has beat Jiri Lehecka to extend his winning streak and regain the crown as king of Queen's; Nick Kyrgios says: 'If I'd acted a bit differently, I would have had a Wimbledon title.' AFL | Blues get bullied by Kangaroos in horror show for Michael Voss, Andrew Stafford writes. Rugby union | The British & Irish Lions land in Australia with fitness concerns over Jamison Gibson-Park and Hugo Keenan. Cricket | Harry Brook makes his mark with 99 for England but India steady the ship with the first Test in balance. Rugby league | Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan opens up on mental health struggles and hitting 'rock bottom'. Two giant boring machines are at a standstill after a bungle brought Sydney's largest metro tunnel build to a grinding halt, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. There's backlash over a controversial waste-to-energy project proposed for Geelong's suburban fringe with direct links to the Chinese government, ABC News reports. Victoria | A hearing is scheduled in Melbourne in a union case against Victoria police. Business | The Metcash full-year results are due to be revealed. NT | The World Archaeological Congress is being held in Darwin. If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here, or finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletter. You can follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland. And finally, here are the Guardian's crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword

How the ‘experts' got the grooming gang scandal so wrong
How the ‘experts' got the grooming gang scandal so wrong

Spectator

timea day ago

  • Spectator

How the ‘experts' got the grooming gang scandal so wrong

At this stage we can't predict what the government's new grooming gangs inquiry will say. But one thing is overwhelmingly likely: many will feel the heat. This includes police who stood back in the face of clear patterns of child sexual exploitation by young Pakistani men to avoid racial tension; social workers desperate not to offend their largely unassimilated Muslim clients; and councillors and politicians who said 'move on, nothing to see here' because of fears that Muslim voters might disown anyone who rocked the multicultural boat. With few exceptions, academics were some of the keenest to suppress discussion about groooming gang abusers' origins or ethnicity Even more interesting, however, is the light all this this has thrown on academia. With few exceptions, academics were some of the keenest to suppress discussion about the abusers' origins or ethnicity. Any reference to this, it was constantly said, risked spreading anti-Muslim racism, distracting attention from more important problems, 'racialising crime', ''othering' South Asian men' and characterising them as 'folk devils'. Paper after paper, seminar after seminar, was devoted to pushing variants on these themes. At first sight this looks odd. Police and social services at least had an incentive to make their jobs easier; so too politicians anxious about their voter base. But academics with no skin in this game? Why should they engage so hard in support of one side? Partly, one suspects, this may be due to the university environment. Ten years ago, a survey found 77 per cent of academics backed Labour, the Lib Dems or the Greens. Only 11 per cent were for the Tories. Today, the figure is possibly even more skewed. This doesn't just mean many academics are instinctively likely to support an approach based on racial identity politics. More seriously, all articles have to be peer reviewed. Peer reviewers within the humanities professoriate are only human. With the best will in the world, one suspects an article trying to minimise the relevance of ethnicity in favour of other factors is likely in practice to get an easier ride. But there is more to it than this. Few admit it, but there is something of a Faustian pact between universities and their state funders and providers of research grants, built on the fiction that in the humanities as much as in traditional sciences the state is investing in cutting-edge advances in knowledge. As a result, today's humanities academics, especially young ones with careers to make or lose, are pressured not only to produce more papers, but also to make their publications 'innovative', and in addition to strive for what is referred to as 'impact', a somewhat protean term that essentially means getting noticed by the great and the good. There are, put bluntly, big brownie points in getting called before a parliamentary committee or quango. The resulting incentive is baneful and perverse. Far from encouraging people to take a sober look at subjects like the sex grooming figures in Rochdale or Oldham and propose low-key, possibly unpalatable, measures to deal with them, the ambitious academic is much better advised to take a different, radical, line – indeed, the more radical the better. Much more attractive to university managers is the construction of new narratives based on theories of the impact of systemic racism or racist media, or on abstract notions of the 'othering' of particular groups. And there is the bonus that if you have radical ideas you're more likely to gain impact by being invited to address that parliamentary committee. This isn't necessarily to criticise the academics concerned. As often as not they have little choice but to promote their increasingly abstract and abtruse theories (many of which are intellectually dodgy owing to their tenuous link with empiricism and regular adoption of incomprehensible and conclusory jargon, but that's another story). But this phenomenon does have one very important result. Fifty years or so ago academics commanded a natural respect. If a professor pronounced on a social problem, with a few exceptions what they said was probably understandable to a layperson, soundly anchored in empiricism, and demonstrative of common sense. This was what made people take notice and take what they said seriously. Today, academics increasingly sound like just another part of the progressive commentariat, albeit with an annoying habit of unashamedly using increasingly esoteric words and, when challenged, insisting that it's not surprising we can't understand their high-powered science. That is their right. But there is also another side to this. If academics go down this road, they have little if any right to respect for their opinionated ramblings, and no particular claim to be listened to by government. We can only hope that the members of the grooming gang inquiry have the good sense to keep this in mind, and treat the earnest pronouncements of the new professoriate with the pointed scepticism they deserve.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store