Allison Langdon has conducted her first major interview since becoming A Current Affair host, and it’s caused fierce division among viewers on one of the nation’s most controversial debates.
The Channel 9 broadcaster sat down with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday night’s program to discuss the Voice referendum, which will go to mandatory vote on October 14.
Albanese, an advocate for the Yes campaign, faced strong questions about holes in the Indigenous voice to parliament structure, with Langdon describing his messaging as “wishy-washy”. She argued “people don’t understand” what it would look like if the advisory board eventuated.
Langdon’s name is trending on X – formerly known as Twitter – as of Thursday morning, as people weighed into the contentious televised discussion.
On one side of the argument, a host of viewers felt Langdon’s line of questioning was skewed toward giving weight to the No campaign.
Nine’s Director of News and Current Affairs, Darren Wick, backed Langdon, telling news.com.au: “Ally did an excellent and professional job by asking the questions that the majority of Australians have long wanted answered.”
Many on social media also supported Langdon, particularly for pointing out the Labor government was failing to convey how a Yes vote would spark genuine change in the minority community.
At one point, Langdon stated: “There’s this Voice, but I don’t know, it doesn’t have any real power. It doesn’t have any real legs. It can change over time and might look different in a decade to what it is now and that scares people.
“I mean, my parents don’t understand it. They’ve looked at it, their group of friends who have looked at it and don’t understand it, that is a massive problem.”
Albanese repeatedly said the Voice to parliament was simply an “advisory board”, bringing forward matters that impact the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples who represent about 3.8 per cent of the population.
He highlighted how they continue to be one of the most vulnerable groups in Australia.
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“This is about faith, hope and love and indeed it is about bringing Australia together. It is positive,’’ Albanese said.
“It is aimed at closing the gap on health and education and housing. We know at the moment there is still an eight year life expectancy gap.
“If you are a young Indigenous male, you’re more likely to go to jail than university. If you are a young Indigenous woman, you are more likely to die in childbirth than if you are a non-Indigenous woman. Birth weights, childbirth weights, there is a gap in so many areas.”
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