Qantas is facing backlash after the airline pledged its public support for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
The airline has unveiled three planes emblazoned with the ‘yes23’ logo, along with the message ‘Qantas proudly supports Voice to Parliament’.
Qantas shared a photo of the new livery to social media before showing off three freshly decked out planes at an official launch party attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney on Monday.
And not everyone is happy, sparking a divided reaction from Aussies on social media with many vowing to boycott the airline.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said support for the Voice continues the national carrier’s long-term commitment to reconciliation along with the notion of a ‘fair go’.
‘It’s great to see so much support from parliament in the room. Qantas got established in the 1920s thanks to the First Nations. They helped us discover landing sites. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them,’ Mr Joyce told the crowd.
Anthony Albanese (pictured right with Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce) welcomed the airline’s support for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament when Qantas unveiled its planes emblazoned with ‘Yes23’ in Sydney on Monday
‘Qantas was one of the first companies to have a reconciliation action plan. Internships, trainee programs to provide high quality jobs to First Nations people, and have a program working with First Nations suppliers.
‘We’re here today to confirm and demonstrate that we support an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.’
‘We’re literally, flying the flag so every major city, every major town, will get to see this message, which is fantastic.’
AFL legend Adam Goodes made a rare public appearance to pledge his support for the Voice.
‘We can’t have people sitting on the sidelines right now, not listening, not engaging, and then two weeks before a month before we have to vote, trying to find all that information,’ ‘ the two time premiership and Brownlow Medal winner told the launch.
‘We need to have those conversations now and we need to start listening to what people are thinking and saying.’
Adam Goodes (pictured with Qantas staff on Monday) made a rare public appearance to pledge his support for the Yes vote
The launch was another opportunity for the Prime Minister to issue an impassioned plea to Australians to vote Yes when the referendum is held later in the year.
‘The spirit of Australia says yes, and it says yes because this will assist reconciliation in a practical way,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘In 2023, we will give every Australian the opportunity in coming weeks – not long to go now – to do that, to show respect, to uplift our whole nation and to send a message to the world that we are a confident, mature nation prepared to come to terms with the fullness and the richness of our history.’
‘It will be such a wonderful moment because the alternative is more of the same – the same that sees us achieving just four of 19 closing the gap targets being on track.’
‘We can do better, we must do better, and we will do better when Australians vote for recognition’
The livery will be carried on three aircraft: a Qantas Boeing 737, a QantasLink Dash 8 Turboprop and a Jetstar Airbus A320.
Qantas’ support for the Yes campaign sparked a divided reaction from Aussies.
Qantas has unveiled its newest pledge of public support for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, sparking a divided response from Aussies
‘If only you embraced customer service as enthusiastically as you embrace virtue signalling,’ lawyer Jim Parke tweeted.
Another man wrote: ‘Please just stick to sorting out the airline and stay out of politics.’
Other Aussies vowed to boycott the airline.
‘Another reason to not fly Qantas,’ one woman tweeted.
Mr Joyce acknowledged not everyone is in favour of the Voice while urging Aussies to make their own decisions
‘We know there are a range of views on this issue, including amongst our customers and employees, and we respect that,’ he said in a statement.
‘I encourage people to find out more, to listen to First Nations voices, and to make their own decisions.’
The prime minister first hinted that Qantas would publicly pledge its support vote three months ago.
Anthony Albanese(right) first hinted of Qantas’ support for the Voice back in May. He’s pictured with partner Jodie Haydon and Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce at the airline’s 100th birthday celebrations
In a meeting with News Corp editors in May, Mr Albanese revealed Qantas was considering publicly backing the campaign by painting Yes in large lettering on the side of some of its planes.
The latest move comes six years after Qantas publicly backed the marriage equality vote.
The Voice is a proposed advisory body which would make recommendations to the federal government and parliament on laws and policies affecting Indigenous people.
The Voice referendum is expected to be held in October.
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