Aotearoa’s looming Treaty Principles Bill and the proposed referendum is likely to have much in common with Australia’s Voice To Parliament referendum. Indigenous land rights are an impediment to the fossil fuel industry and as we can see in this article, fossil fuel interests will not hesitate to invest large sums of money to influence public sentiment, often in the guise of fake grassroots organisations.
A mystery Perth shell company controlled by a 94-year-old but with secret ownership — and a company owned by a coal billionaire — were among the biggest funders of the “No” campaign against the Voice to parliament.
Data released today by the Australian Electoral Commission reveals that in the year to June 30, 2023, the shadowy outfit at the heart of the anti-Indigenous Voice campaign, “Advance”, received payments of $5.2m.
The disclosures confirm earlier reports that the campaign — which claimed to be a “grassroots” movement of “ordinary Australians” — was in fact bankrolled by a handful of the mega-rich.
By Anthony Klan for The Klaxon