Event backs ‘yes’ vote on Voice

A RALLY in support of the upcoming First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum was held in Rosalind Park last week.

The event was the first of several local gatherings to build support for the ‘yes’ campaign.

Dja Dja Wurrung Group CEO Rodney Carter spoke in support of the proposal and said it was an opportunity to help lift all First Nations communities.

“I think there are others that are less fortunate than us nationally,” he said.

“Let’s afford other people a good thing where they can define and contribute to their life and now be a positive contributor to a community.

“That’s where I think Voice is just amazing, that we’ll do it nationally.

“To allow somebody in any context to contribute in a conversation is a good thing to do.

“We need people to make a good and just, right decision to vote ‘yes’, and then I think, as Australians, we can work out the how together.”

The rally was also supported by Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters.

“We’ve got to run a really big grassroots local community campaign,” she said.

“This is a chance not just for us today to declare ‘yes, we support constitutional recognition for the First Nations people’, but we’re going to take responsibility for making sure everybody knows, when they walk into that ballot box, how critical this moment is.

“We’ve got to keep rolling, we got to keep building these shows of support across our region. I want to get the highest ‘yes’ vote in any regional city in Australia.”

Ms Chesters said it is “embarrassing” Australia has not yet formally given indigenous peoples a platform in Parliament, like other OECD countries.

“It’s quite frankly shocking that we don’t, when you think of countries like New Zealand and Canada, they’re a long way down the path of reconciliation and empowerment and respect,” she said.

“Just respect for the people there first.”

Speaking of John Quick, the first Federal Member for Bendigo, Ms Chesters said he and other, previous elected representatives didn’t “do right” by First Nations people.

“He did not recognise that this country had a people, a proud people, a beautiful people, and a culture,” she said.

“Other Federal members for Bendigo made decisions like the white Australia policy, the stolen children generation.

“Things were done to Aboriginal people without their involvement, and that is why this constitution, this vote, this referendum, is critical.

“We need to give First Nations people not only the recognition in the constitution but that voice, so that they are consulted on policy, on decisions that directly relate to them.

“So, for me, this is about undoing all that wrong. We can’t make up for it, but we can set up foundations to make it better for the future.

“We all have a responsibility here to make sure that all of us have a vote.”

Ms Chesters said actions in the past geared towards increased inclusion of First Nations in procuring policy have clearly not been successful, and a new approach is needed.

“If we want to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, we actually need to have them at the table, because what we’ve done in the past hasn’t worked,” she said.

“The life expectancy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is growing.

“If you’re an indigenous man you’re more likely to end up in jail than university.”

Although a formal date for the referendum has not yet been set, it is likely to fall sometime between August and December according to Ms Chesters, and the process will be similar to a general election.