Big change in Voice vote between Gawler and Henley Beach

The divide in Voice voting changed notably on Sunday as The Advertiser’s Voicewagen Kombi made its way from Adelaide’s northern to western suburbs.

It must have been quite a sight.

It’s a sunny Saturday morning and the main strip of Gawler is crawling. We’re left with no choice but to parallel park Nelson, our striking two tone 1973 Kombi, into a tight spot on Murray St.

We are on day four of The Advertiser’s Voicewagen tour and Nelson has already traversed Kimba, Whyalla, Port Augusta and Port Pirie. On Sunday morning, after a change of crew, we’re keen to hear from people living closer to the city.

Our multi-point manoeuvre grabs the attention of passers by Matt and Angela Verco, who have are in town for the morning from Freeling, about 20km north. With them are their dogs Whisky and Star – the first of many friendly pups we’d meet on the trail today.

Asked about the Voice, Matt, 57, and Angela, 62, are forthcoming. They’re both no voters, they tell us.

“I hate seeing the country divided. We’re all one, we’re all born here and it shouldn’t be divided as it’s going to be,” Matt says.

On each of our Voicewagen stops so far, we’d found more people who said they would vote no on October 14 than those who would vote yes.

Angela and Matt Verco of Freeling with dogs Whiskey and Star. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Leesa Flanagan of Ngapala and Phoebe Heinrich of Kidman Park with dogs Clifford, Lexi and Winnie. Picture: Brenton Edwards

It comes as the latest Newspoll conducted for The Australian shows support for the Voice has fallen two more points to 34 per cent, which represents its lowest level of support since the referendum question was first proposed. Those intending to vote no represent 58 per cent, with 8 per cent of voters undecided.

Here, the feeling is much the same. And most people we approach are happy to talk about it.

Local man George Rau, 95, will vote no because “Australia is divided enough now” but really he is more keen to tell us about Gawler’s history – it’s one of the oldest towns in the state.

Across Murray St, we spot two painters working on a shopfront who don’t seem to mind our interruption.

Andrew Simmons, 30, from nearby Evanston, says he doesn’t see the need for a Voice.

“In terms of recognition, where do you draw the line?” he asks.

Coworker Johnathon Arndt, 31, of Davoren Park, is even more succinct: “I just think it’s a waste of time and money”.

Of the 10 people we speak to in Gawler, the only one who says she will vote yes next weekend is Tiffany Leonard, 24, who works at Gawler Pet Salon.

“I haven’t seen anything that would lead me to lean the other way and I am of Aboriginal descent myself,” she says.

At Elizabeth Shopping Centre, a 20-minute drive south, our Voice poll is a much harder sell.

We set up in the carpark, where multiple no voters stop to chat to us but decline to give their names.

“I don’t want to upset my daughter-in-law,” one explains.

Only a few shoppers approached leading no campaigner Jacinta Nampijinpa Price when she visited here last week, while the pre-poll booth was empty in comparison to some closer to the city.

Painters Andrew Simmons of Evanston Gardens and Johnathon Arnde from Davoren Park. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Aimee O'Range and Hayden Smith of Salisbury East. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Today, the vibe is similar. But of the people who do speak to us, it’s a more even split between yes and no. We encounter Cassie Critchlow, 31, of Elizabeth on her way to clock on for an afternoon shift at the centre.

“I feel like the reasons for yes are outweighing the reasons for no,” she says.

Hayden Smith, 27, of Salisbury East, is the same.

“I’m voting yes because I don’t see a valid reason to say no and I don’t see any way it can’t be a good thing for Indigenous communities,” he tells us, before heading inside to buy groceries.

His partner, Aimee O’Range, also 27 of Salisbury East, hasn’t made up her mind: “I work in an industry where people aren’t really talking about it”.

It was hot, our strike rate was poor and a food court lunch was calling, so we headed inside for a break before riding Nelson windows-down out to Henley Beach.

After more parking anguish, we were calmed by a soothing rendition of Can’t Help Falling in Love as we approached Henley Square. For a few brief moments, we turned our attention to a different voice.

Except it wasn’t Elvis singing but Ken – a first-time busker who was testing out his new speaker.

Ken didn’t want to give his last name (he usually does professional gigs) but posed for a photo and told us he was undecided on how he’d vote in the referendum.

“Possibly no,” he said.

“I don’t think there’s enough detail behind it. If I knew a bit more detail I would probably vote yes but we’ll see what happens on the day.”

Linh Huynh of Croydon Park. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Busker Ken of Brighton. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Further down the foreshore we find 26-year-old friends Phoebe Heinrich, of Kidman Park, and Leesa Flanagan of Ngapala in the state’s Mid North, and their dogs Clifford, Lexi and Winnie.

When it comes to the Voice, they’ve got differing views. Phoebe says she’ll vote yes.

“I have a lot of empathy for the population that we’re voting for and I would really like for them to have a genuine say in what they would like for themselves,” she says.

“I feel as though, as a white person, I am not entitled to do that.”

Josh van Konkelenberg from Henley Beach talked to journalist Kathryn Bermingham. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Leesa says she needs to do more research on the Voice before she casts her vote next Saturday, but she’s leaning toward voting no.

“I’ve seen a lot of personalised messages from First Nations people that are sort of explaining how this referendum and implementing the Voice may divide the population more,” she tells us.

Overall, at the beach we find six yes voters, four undecideds and just one no.

Another voter we find along the foreshore is Henley Beach local Josh van Konkelenberg, 40, who will vote yes.

“I think we need a representation for the whole community, more specifically, one that’s not based on the legal power of the Crown,” he said.

Our last interview of the day is with Linh Huynh of Croydon Park. Keeping with the theme, she is at the beach with her four King Charles Cavaliers – Minnie, Selena, Flirt and Yuki. On the topic of the referendum, she’s undecided.

“I need to think more about it,” she says.

“I hear more of the no than yes because there’s more no on TV.”