Once, our nation was at a crossroads in the heart of a bustling and pressure-filled world. A pivotal referendum loomed on the horizon, a moment that had the power to devastate our country by tearing our founding document apart. The air was charged with anticipation but also with division.

Last night, Ally Langdon, the host of A Current Affair, found herself in the eye of the storm as she confronted Ray Martin, a veteran journalist and vicious ‘Yes’ campaigner, about his controversial comments earlier in the day. The setting was tense, the debate fiery.

Ray Martin had previously called what he described as 'uninformed' No voters "dinosaurs and d**kheads." His words sparked outrage, and now he was defending his stance on national television. Ally Langdon, trying to be a voice of reason, wanted to bring civility back to the discourse.

But Martin remained arrogantly steadfast, refusing to regret his choice of words. He argued that he wasn't attacking individuals but the slogan, "If you don't know, vote No." As if that slogan could be classed as a ‘dickhead’. He believed this slogan endorsed ignorance, which should have no place in such a crucial vote.

Ever the diplomat, Langdon reminded Martin of the pressing concerns facing everyday families: rising power and food prices, crime, and more. She painted a picture of people grappling with real-life challenges, the same people he had labelled dinosaurs.

The debate raged on, and Ray Martin stood by his inflammatory language, insisting it was part of the Australian ‘vernacular’. He argued that the referendum was not about politics but doing what was 'right'. Of course Ray, that’s why you would call people who disagree with you ‘dickheads’. It's all about the right you expect yourself to have, never about the rights of everyone, including free speech. 

Though acknowledging Martin's ‘passion’, Ally Langdon pointed out the divisive nature of the debate. She admitted that his speech had made points relevant to the discussion but also fuelled division and anger.

In the end, Martin believed it was about the nation's reputation on the world stage, about whether Australians could come together to do what was 'just and fair'—that old chestnut. ‘Let’s not upset the United Nations’; they may send ‘peace-keepers’.

But Langdon, the voice of reason, reminded everyone that they lived in a democracy where diverse opinions should be respected. She expressed concern that they were asking people to trust in something they didn't fully understand and that trust alone might not be enough.

As the interview concluded, the nation was left with a choice. To embrace the divisive rhetoric or to seek a better way, one rooted in respect and understanding. That was where we were at the time of Ray Martin's car-crash interview, where we were once. Where we end up is our choice. 

Here is the issue. Australians are grappling with the details of the Voice, and polling shows that ‘lack of details’ is a primary reason people won’t vote for it. The ‘Yes’ campaign was given plenty of opportunity to debate the concept of the voice, talk to Australians and engage in conversation. The ' Yes ' movement rejected each olive branch, offer for dialogue, or a chance to debate.

The story of Ray Martin's fiery interview with Ally Langdon was a stark reminder that while passion and conviction were essential, they should never come at the cost of unity and respect. Ray Martin’s performance is why we should Vote No, to oppose their division and hate.