The yes campaign has not had a good week. It began with the owner of a children’s entertainment company firing a worker because she openly supported the no campaign. Then there was the massive backlash to the AFL replacing their logo with the YES slogan which was taken down after 24 hours. AFL Footy Show personality Sam Newman was seen to have spoken for many when he slammed the AFL for interfering in this vote. Then of course former Prime Minister Tony Abbott was headbutted by a self-described anarchist DJ Astro Labe in Hobart on Thursday while wearing a vote yes sticker.

We have also seen the continued public harassment of those actively campaigning for the no side through shocking footage. We have even seen gays who support traditional marriage not spared from abuse.

You would think the Yes campaign might want to cool things off given that people are mighty sick of the behaviour of some of the yes campaigners. But today they have decided to irritate people further by sending out a mass spam text message to Australians asking them to vote yes.

This has even been sent to people who have already voted no. One wonders how they obtained all these Australians phone numbers given that since this is not an election they would not have had access to electoral roll, therefore raising questions about its legality. But nevertherless it is likely to have the opposite effect with most people resenting spam being sent directly to their phone.

This occurs at the same time that the Yes campaign this weekend is conducting what it calls “Australia’s largest ever doorknock of homes this weekend”. This prompted Mark Latham to urge people not to engage with any campaigns who turn up to your door as if you say you are not voting yes you could be targeted for harassment and your home for vandalism.

This appalling behavior from some of the yes side has most likely been responsible for the tightening of the polls this week. Many people who have voted yes or intend to have also expressed their dismay with the yes campaign. This was perfectly put by the Daily Telegraph’s editorial and by Australian write Chris Kenny.

The Yes vote is still ahead in most polls, but it seems is doing everything it can to lose the unlosable vote.

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Author Details
Tim Wilms is the Founder and Editor in Chief of https://theunshackled.net. the Host of Tim’s News Explosion, the WilmsFront interview program and The Theorists with Andy Nolch. He based in Melbourne, Australia where he also conducts field reports.
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Tim Wilms is the Founder and Editor in Chief of https://theunshackled.net. the Host of Tim’s News Explosion, the WilmsFront interview program and The Theorists with Andy Nolch. He based in Melbourne, Australia where he also conducts field reports.