“Dodgy” is a rather mild term for the fearmongering tactics of the official NO campaign, let alone the worse stuff from some of its supporters.
That is a good reason not to vote “NO” unless there really was something to fear from making a completely empty symbolic gesture AGAIN.
The reason the YES campaign has gone down is because it has not advanced ANY explanation of the claim:
only by voting Yes in this referendum will First Nations people see practical progress
Whatever they won’t do to fix actual problems they still won’t do after the referendum, whatever the result. They just aren’t listening and won’t.
A resounding failure of this empty mush is more likely to stimulate actually listening and thinking about what to do.
But it would be better if that resounding failure was seen to have resulted from a large informal vote than by an even larger NO vote that helps both the fear mongers and the “lets all be reconciled about a great vibe” continue to remain smug.
The campaign is already a resounding failure and would remain so whether or not the referendum was passed.
So better to vote WHY and send a different message from the ones both “sides” are promoting.
After the smug celebrations by either the fearmongers or the vibemongers, at least the question would remain hanging in the air - WHY did some people reject both sides?