Forum to talk about “yes” vote for the Voice

THE campaign for people in the Surf Coast to vote “yes” in the coming referendum about the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament has begun, with the new Surf Coast Votes Yes group to hold a free forum in Torquay later this month.

Activism about the Voice has been increasing since mid-March, when the federal government announced the wording of the question people would answer in the referendum, which will be held between October and December.

Surf Coast Votes Yes is staging the Surf Coast Voice to Parliament Referendum Forum on April 27 to explain what the proposed federal advisory body means and why it is important.

Speakers at the free event will include Wadawurrung woman and Traditional Owner Corrina Eccles; Torres Strait Islander, advocate and author of Finding the Heart of the Nation: The Journey of the Uluru Statement from the Heart Continues author Thomas Mayo; Geelong MP and state Parliamentary Secretary for First Peoples Christine Couzens; and Corangamite federal member Libby Coker.

“This is an opportunity to correct history, and this is an opportunity to find out more, and make an informed decision for people’s votes,” Surf Coast Votes Yes organiser and forum MC Hutch Hussein said.

“Because this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, this referendum – we’ve learnt about the history and the really dark wrongs that have happened, and this is an opportunity to right that wrong and to make sure that the Aboriginal people are recognised in our Constitution, and that we give due recognition.

“All the things that we know are happening in Aboriginal communities have happened because they haven’t been involved in those decisions; the Voice is about giving people an opportunity on what impacts them.

“It’s listening to the Indigenous community who are saying to us ‘This is what we want” – there’s been 12 years of consultation and this has been driven by the Indigenous communities themselves, so it’s time for us to listen.”

U3A SurfCoast members are on board the “yes” campaign and were considering starting their own event before learning of the April 27 forum.

“We were certainly encouraged by the brilliant response there was to the sunrise event [Pilk Purriyn] on January 26, that went so well – you could see there was a real feeling in the community to be further involved in making a better case for First Nations people,” U3A member John Houlihan said.

Surf Coast Shire councillor Rose Hodge said the Voice was such a respectful way to acknowledge one of the oldest cultures in the world.

The Surf Coast Votes Yes Voice to Parliament Referendum Forum will be held at Grant Pavilion, Yallock Crescent, Torquay on April 27, with a Welcome to Country from 7pm and a 7.30pm start.

For more information or to book, head to the Surf Coast Votes Yes page on Facebook – where the event will be streamed – or email [email protected]