EXCLUSIVE
Professor Marcia Langton, Indigenous Voice to Parliament advocate, has been seen in Bali following the resounding defeat of the Yes vote.
Professor Langton was one of the key First Nations figures who observed and promoted the week-long vote of silence after the crushing defeat on October 14, when Australians rejected the Voice proposal by 39 per cent to 61 percent.
However, Daily Mail Australia can reveal that the week of silence did not extend to matters outside the Voice.
Professor Langton was a guest speaker at the Ubud Readers and Writers Festival on 20-22 October.
A guest who attended Professor Langton’s session on indigenous law noted: ‘Marcia and Aaron (Corn) are observing the silence of the week after the referendum, so there was no comment on that terrible matter.
“The session was about indigenous knowledge and laws in Indonesia and Australia.”
Professor Langton was a guest speaker at the Ubud Readers and Writers Festival on 20-22 October.
The photos of Professor Langton, wearing a pink baseball cap, a colorful scarf and orange flip-flops, are the first Australia has seen of her since the night of the referendum.
Professor Langton was later due to lead a session at Ubud’s Indus Restaurant on October 22 titled ‘Disturbing Colonial Structures’.
The program promised to discuss how to “start a dialogue on reshaping colonial systems using Indigenous law for a more sustainable future.”
“Decolonization aims to challenge existing norms by emphasizing place, indigenous knowledge and human principles,” the program states.
‘How can we foster open-mindedness among conservatives and encourage them to explore how indigenous traditions and laws can drive innovation?’
The photos of Professor Langton, wearing a pink baseball cap, a colorful scarf and orange flip-flops, are the first Australia has seen of her since the night of the referendum.
A heated debate broke out during indigenous broadcaster NITV’s coverage of the Voice when Professor Langton and presenter Narelda Jacobs clashed with leading No campaigner Warren Mundine.
Professor Langton was one of the key First Nations figures who observed and promoted the week-long vote of silence after the crushing defeat on October 14, when Australians rejected the Voice proposal by 39 per cent to 61 percent.
A guest who attended Professor Langton’s session on indigenous law noted: “Marcia and Aaron (Corn) are observing the silence of the week after the referendum, so there was no comment on that terrible matter.”
Mundine claimed the Yes side had failed to show voters how the Voice would solve the problems facing Aboriginal Australians.
‘They couldn’t see anything, no one gave them details about how anything was going to be solved. It was almost like a magic wand,” she said.
This sparked an outcry from Jacobs, who argued that Ms Langton had “given the details everyone needed” in the Calma-Langton report.
The Calma-Langton report was a 272-page document commissioned by the then coalition government in 2021 that explained how Voice to Parliament could work.
Mundine said: ‘She called Australia a racist country. She has no credibility in this. She needs to get out and meet Australians. Australians are not racist. They are incredible people.
Professor Langton was later due to lead a session at Ubud’s Indus restaurant (archive image of restaurant pictured) on October 22 titled ‘Disturbing Colonial Structures’.
‘They want to make sure Aboriginal people have a good life and are part of Australian opportunities. “So I’m not going to accept any comments from a person who thinks we’re a racist country.”
In response, Professor Langton said Mundine was stirring up racial tensions for political gain and taking his words at a forum during the campaign out of context.
Professor Langton was criticized for telling voters in Bunbury, WA, that No’s campaign tactics were based on racism or stupidity, and accused hard-core No voters of “spewing racism”.
She said at the time: “Every time the No cases make their arguments, if you start picking them apart you get to basic racism, I’m sorry to say that’s where it ends, or sheer stupidity.”
Professor Langton responded to Mr Mundine: “This is a Trumpian play.” Straight out of Steve Bannon’s playbook.
“They create racial division by lying and then accuse me of being a provocateur.”
He said that “reconciliation is dead” and noted that “the nation has been poisoned.”
Professor Langton was criticized for telling voters in Bunbury, WA, that No campaign tactics were based on racism or stupidity, and harshly accused No voters of “spewing racism”.
After the result of the referendum became clear, indigenous leaders issued a statement calling for a week of silence to mourn the result.
Professor Langton was among those who agreed to participate in the mourning period.
‘Now is not the time to analyze the reasons for this tragic result. This will be done in the coming weeks, years and decades. “Now is the time to remain silent, to mourn and to deeply consider the consequences of this result,” the statement reads.
‘The truth is that we offered this recognition and it has been rejected. Now we know where we are in our own country.’
Previously, Professor Langton vowed to boycott future welcome-to-country applications if the Voice failed, telling The Australian: “I imagine most non-Indigenous Australians, if we lose the referendum, won’t be able to look me in the eye.
‘How are they going to ask an indigenous person, a traditional owner, for a welcome to the country? How can they ever ask me to come and speak at their conference?
“If they have the temerity to do it, of course the answer will be no.”
Professor Langton has not commented on whether she will maintain her Welcome to Country vote following the referendum result.