Sky News host Andrew Bolt has suggested the Prime Minister “should go” for subjecting Australia to the “poison” of the referendum during a fiery clash over the fallout of the Yes wipe out.
The broadcaster has slammed the “race politics” of the Yes campaign and hailed voters for “seeing through” the campaign tactics as he clashed with journalist Chris Kenny over whether or not the reform idea was “racially divisive”.
“This is a red letter day for fighting against the politics that has been splitting, not just us and not just New Zealand but the Western world,” Bolt said.
“This is a fantastic day for fighting the race politics that has driven Western society mad. Black Lives Matter and all that kind of stuff. “
Less than 90 minutes after polls closed, the Voice to Parliament referendum has been called as a massive defeat for Yes.
The Sky News host also took a jab at the panel that included Yes supporter Mr Kenny for not being enthused by the result.
“I don’t know why there’s been so many long faces tonight,” Bolt said.
“I think this is a brilliant day for Australia. Absolutely brilliant. We’ve defeated the attempt to divide us by race in our Constitution.”
Mr Bolt said the result was “marvellous” because Australians had “seen through the falsehoods of the Yes campaign”.
“I just wonder now how he can continue as Prime Minister. He’s put us through this nightmare and wasted nearly $400 million of taxpayers money, putting Australians at each other’s throats.
“And unfortunately the poison from all this will survive.”
Mr Bolt said the Yes campaign had tried to frame the campaign as a test of “how nice we are” or suggest it was about racism.
“It was a stupid promise to make the Indigenous leadership,’’ he said.
“Anthony Albanese could have pulled out. He could have said, “I’m not going to put the country through it, the support isn’t there.
“He didn’t do that. right up. It’s just terrible.”
Mr Kenny said he disagreed with everything that Bolt said. But Bolt fired up as he attempted to speak over him
“You’ve had your say,’’ Bolt said.
“Why don’t you just sit back for once, and listen to the arguments that have actually won.”
The prime minister appeared emotional as he addressed reporters, volunteers and voters at the polling booth earlier on Saturday to make a final plea for Australians to vote Yes in the referendum.
“This is not a radical proposition,” he said.
“This is a hand outstretched in friendship from the First Australians to every Australian, just asking for it to be grasped in that spirit of reconciliation and friendship.”