A RALLY in support of the upcoming First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum was held in Rosalind Park last week.<\/p>\n
The event was the first of several local gatherings to build support for the \u2018yes\u2019 campaign.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there are others that are less fortunate than us nationally,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s afford other people a good thing where they can define and contribute to their life and now be a positive contributor to a community.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where I think Voice is just amazing, that we\u2019ll do it nationally.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo allow somebody in any context to contribute in a conversation is a good thing to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need people to make a good and just, right decision to vote \u2018yes\u2019, and then I think, as Australians, we can work out the how together.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rally was also supported by Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to run a really big grassroots local community campaign,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a chance not just for us today to declare \u2018yes, we support constitutional recognition for the First Nations people\u2019, but we\u2019re going to take responsibility for making sure everybody knows, when they walk into that ballot box, how critical this moment is.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to keep rolling, we got to keep building these shows of support across our region. I want to get the highest \u2018yes\u2019 vote in any regional city in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Chesters said it is \u201cembarrassing\u201d Australia has not yet formally given indigenous peoples a platform in Parliament, like other OECD countries.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s quite frankly shocking that we don\u2019t, when you think of countries like New Zealand and Canada, they\u2019re a long way down the path of reconciliation and empowerment and respect,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust respect for the people there first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking of John Quick, the first Federal Member for Bendigo, Ms Chesters said he and other, previous elected representatives didn\u2019t \u201cdo right\u201d by First Nations people.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe did not recognise that this country had a people, a proud people, a beautiful people, and a culture,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther Federal members for Bendigo made decisions like the white Australia policy, the stolen children generation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings were done to Aboriginal people without their involvement, and that is why this constitution, this vote, this referendum, is critical.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, for me, this is about undoing all that wrong. We can\u2019t make up for it, but we can set up foundations to make it better for the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all have a responsibility here to make sure that all of us have a vote.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we want to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, we actually need to have them at the table, because what we\u2019ve done in the past hasn\u2019t worked,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe life expectancy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is growing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re an indigenous man you\u2019re more likely to end up in jail than university.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 \u2018yes\u2019 campaign. Dja Dja Wurrung Group CEO Rodney Carter spoke in support of the proposal and said it was an opportunity […]<\/p>\n