Voice to parliament: Yes23 holds rally blitz to bolster support for referendum
More than 10,000 people have gathered at rallies all across Australia to bolster support for the referendum on the Indigenous Voice to parliament.
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Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has issued a rallying war cry for Australians to support an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, as more than 25 community rallies gathered on Sunday.
“The eyes of the world are truly on Australia and I have every faith Australians will rally and vote yes in this referendum,” she said at the Brisbane event.
“(The Voice) will be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and it will give advice to not only the executive government, but also the parliament.
“What we’re being asked in a few months time is not what the colour of the carpet is going to be, but whether or not we believe Aboriginal people should be recognised in the founding document of this nation: the Australian Constitution. And the answer is yes.”
Campaign organisers Yes23 said more than 10,000 people had registered their attendance for the events.
By 11am, crowds had gathered at locations all across the country for the events which coincided with the start of Naidoc week.
Also speaking at the Brisbane rally to about 400 attendees, campaign director Dean Parkin said he was excited the conversation on the referendum was being moved out of the Canberra bubble and into the community.
“For far too long this campaign, this referendum conversation, has been locked up in Canberra with politicians,” he said.
“100 per cent our sole focus is taking that conversation (to the people) because that’s where this campaign belongs, that’s where this referendum belongs.”
In Melbourne, Wurundjeri and Gunnai Kurnai Elder, Uncle Ringo Terrick urged unity in his speech to attendees.
“Let’s join hands and really walk into the future together as a united country and as a united voice,” he said, speaking at the Victorian Trades Hall.
Despite the grey skies and intermittent showers, supporters turned up in the thousands.
Other speakers also included Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation boss Aunty Jill Gallagher, Australian Council of Trade Unions President Michele O’Neil and Indigenous educator, activist and musician Scott Darlow, along with performances from Darlow and Robert K Champion.
Great turnout at the Melbourne Come Together for Yes even today ✊🾠🖤💛â¤ï¸ #yes23pic.twitter.com/SDdzgoqr2p
— First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria (@firstpeoplesvic) July 2, 2023
Big buzz at the Come Together for Yes event this morning at Trades Hall @VicUnions
— Deadloch Stan Account (@sallyrugg) July 2, 2023
Sheer volume of gear being moved today means you’re going to see a lot more of the Yes campaign on the streets in Melb
Yes must win. A “no†result would devastate. Let’s do it 💪 #yes23pic.twitter.com/R1ILd9ZEcn
Ahead of the rally, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews gave his full support to The Voice.
“It’s just about listening to Aboriginal people. Instead of telling them what will work for their kids – and their health, education, their businesses and businesses – instead we listen,” he told reporters at an earlier press conference.
“I’m not here to tell people how to vote, I can just share the reasons why I’m voting yes, in the hope they discover the reason why they should vote yes.”
In Sydney, the rally in Prince Alfred Park was addressed by both the NSW Leader of the Government in the Upper House, Penny Sharpe, and opposition spokesperson for health, Matt Kean.
Ms Sharpe said the NSW government was in full support of the “yes campaign,” and urged people to have conversations with their friends, neighbours, and family.
“All over Australia, there’s a fire that’s been lit in households, in businesses, in workplaces, in my multicultural communities,” she said to a packed crowd.
“Everyone is having the conversation about how do we step forward together with Aboriginal people in Australia. We want to do this, we need to do this and now we finally have the chance to do this.”
Unlike the government, the NSW opposition have not committed to a unified stance on The Voice, which means Coalition members are allowed to campaign “in line with their own views and those of their community”.
Speaking at the Sydney rally, Mr Kean urged people to vote yes, and said he wanted “every young Australian, Indigenous or not” to have “more opportunities with greater choice”.
“That’s what we’ve got an opportunity to do here. I want an Australia that’s better and stronger and we can do that by voting yes,” he said.
“We can’t have an Australia where one group of Australians gets less opportunities, because they’re Indigenous.
“Now we’ve got an opportunity to bring people together and move our country forward and create more opportunities for everyone.”
Key rallies were organised at inner-city locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Cairns, with dozens of other smaller community events set for the same time.
Mr Parkin said the events were an opportunity for people to learn more about the campaign and hear from speakers about how a yes vote will affect Indigenous communities first hand.
“Community momentum for a Yes vote continues to build, and I encourage Australians to head to one of these events and find out how they can get involved in our campaign between now and referendum day,” he said.
“We want to reach as many Australians as possible with our positive message that this proposal will give Indigenous people a real say on matters that affect them, whether that be across health, housing or education.
“We want everyday Australians, whether they live in Devonport, Wollongong, Perth or Cairns to go along to an event today, to get informed and join this positive movement.”
Out with #Queanbeyan people supporting #VoiceToParliament this morning, thanks for all the toots of support! pic.twitter.com/ZpFRqGgBtT
— Steve Whan (@SteveWhan) July 2, 2023
According to the latest Newspoll conducted for The Australian, support for the “Yes” vote has diminished to 43 per cent, while support for the “No” vote had increased by four points to 47 per cent.
The polling results marked the first time those opposed to The Voice polled stronger than those in favour of the referendum passing.
While the date of the referendum has yet to be confirmed, Australians are expected to be asked to hit the polls and vote to amend the constitution to recognise Indigenous Australians by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice before the end of the year.
On Sunday, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton hit out at corporate companies donating money to the yes campaign, accusing them of chasing social media clout and lacking a “significant backbone”.
The comment comes as Wesfarmers, Rio Tinto and BHP have all donated $2m to the Yes23 campaign.
“There are debates that corporate Australia should be involved in and at the moment I don’t think they’re paying, you know, due consideration to the views of their workforce to the views of the community,” he told Sky News,
“There are a lot of CEOs and chairs who have very different conversations with you in private than what they say publicly because they’re worried about ESG (environmental, social and governance) and remuneration packages being voted down at AGMs and it’s time they started to stand up for what’s in our country’s best interests.”
Originally published as Voice to parliament: Yes23 holds rally blitz to bolster support for referendum
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