Legendary Australian singer-songwriter Shane Howard has returned his Order of Australia medal, citing a deep unhappiness following the Voice to Parliament referendum.
Key factors:
- Shane Howard is returning his OAM in response to the Voice Referendum end result
- He stated he feels “honour-bound” to return the award and cannot be pleased with his nation
- Howard penned Stable Rock in 1982 along with his band Goanna about land rights for Indigenous Australians
The Goanna frontman shot to fame 41 years in the past along with his band’s anthemic hit Stable Rock, which passionately decried the colonisation and Indigenous dispossession of Australia.
In a letter to the governor-general, Howard writes of a “deep unhappiness” following the rejected referendum vote.
“At this level in historical past, I can’t be pleased with my nation and really feel honour sure to return my Order of Australia medal,” Howard wrote.
“When I wrote the track, ‘Stable Rock, Sacred Floor’, 40 years in the past, I wished us to handle the basic lie on the coronary heart of our nationwide story.
“I dreamt of a nation respectful of our historic historical past and trustworthy about our trendy historical past. I wished to be pleased with my nation.”
Howard, whose great-grandfather was arrested on the Eureka Stockade, was awarded the OAM in 2016.
He stated the democratic ideas that his household fought for generations in the past have been now underneath menace.
Talking to ABC Victorian Mornings, Howard stated he felt compelled to make his voice heard amid a swathe of “disinformation”.
“What else can I do, I am an artist,” he stated.
Loading…
“I copped an infinite quantity of abuse that was very intimidating and at instances, some stuff that was very, very racist by means of social media.
“I’d say it’s the primary time we noticed the Brexit or Trump model politics at play within the Australian political panorama.”
His letter states that whereas he respects the democratic end result, he fears Australians have missed “an vital historic second of future”.
“I like my start nation deeply however till we lose our colonial shackles, have interaction in Treaty-making with our First Peoples, decide to truth-telling about our historical past and embrace a post-colonial republic, I can’t be pleased with my nation.”
A spokesperson for the Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat stated they might not touch upon particular person instances.
“People are in a position to resign from the Order and the resignation is efficient from the date which it’s accepted by the governor-general,” the spokesperson stated.
“Resignations are printed within the Commonwealth Gazette.”