Advance Australia advert slammed by MPs

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Advance is among the most active opponents of the Voice. At the heart of his campaign has been to highlight and criticize support for the cause from business leaders, including targeting Mr Chaney in previous adverts.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton also slammed Australian businesses, following $2million donations to the Yes campaign by Wesfarmers, BHP and Rio Tinto, and other shows of support.

Warren Mundine dismisses the criticism and says the controversial ad is factual. Trevor Collens

Bundjalung man and head of the No campaign, Mr Mundine defended the announcement on Thursday.

People who say it’s racist and sexist don’t know what they’re talking about, quite frankly, he said.

There is nothing racist in that. It is factual. Where is the racism? Whenever someone disagrees with the left, they always complain that it’s racist.

Debate Disclaimer

He called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Mr Dutton to tell both sides of the debate to avoid racist or demeaning attacks.

You won’t see our side doing this because I’m very aware it could escalate into an appalling racist campaign, Mr Mundine said.

Ms Chaney, a former management consultant elected in the 2022 election, said in a statement that she thought the ad was racist.

It is disappointing to see the No campaign reduced to personal and racist attacks when Australians are more interested in knowing the facts about the Voice and how it can contribute to Closing the Gap, she said.

At the end of the day, I think people will vote in the referendum based on what is right and helpful, not fear and hate.

Mr Chaney declined to respond to criticism over his advocacy for The Voice this week.

In emails sent to supporters, Advance previously highlighted Wesfarmers’ ownership of hardware giant Bunnings and suggested consumers think twice before shopping there.

Former NSW Treasurer Matt Kean took issue with the announcement on social media.

Thomas Mayo’s racist trope in today’s full-page AFR ad has no place in Australian politics, he wrote.

It’s a throwback to the Jim Crow era of the Deep South. The No Campaign has every right to be heard, but can do much better than that.

Independent MP Zali Steggall said the ad highlighted Advance Australia’s deeply racist beliefs and should never be accepted for publication.

Wentworth MP Allegra Spender said the ad looked like something from the 1890s.

The announcement followed a Press Club speech by Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney on Wednesday, in which she chastised the Fair Australia campaign group, which is linked to Advance, for its targeting of business leaders who support the voice.

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