Voice to parliament: Noel Pearson ‘optimistic’ Qld will vote Yes despite polls, interstate whispers

Indigenous leader Noel Pearson believes Queenslanders will defy expectations and back in the Voice to parliament.

Indigenous leader Noel Pearson believes Queenslanders will defy expectations and back in the Voice to parliament.

An optimistic Mr Pearson, who visited a Brisbane mosque during Friday prayer while on the campaign trail for the Yes vote, said he believed the state would defy the polls which have pointed to dwindling support in the Sunshine State.

“There is a suggestion down south that Queenslanders will not go with us; I don’t think so, I don’t think that’s right,” he said.

“I’m not going to rest. This is my state, we will do better than those down south think.”

Australia’s first national referendum in 24 years, expected to be held in October, will ask voters if they support an Indigenous Voice to parliament enshrined in the Constitution, recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the nation’s first inhabitants.

Noel Pearson campaigns for the yes vote at the Holland Park Mosque in Brisbane. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Most opinion polls, including last month’s Newspoll, show support for the Voice is diminishing, with Queensland set to return a “no” vote.

Mr Pearson campaigned in his home state on Friday, focusing on the Islamic community.

“Some of them are coming to this issue for the first time, but the level of awareness from talking to people has been pretty high within the Muslim community, so I’m very buoyed by the reception here,” he said outside Holland Park mosque.

Mr Pearson plans to visit all major Queensland regional cities and head home to the Far North.

Mosque spokesman Ali Kadri said he would take Mr Pearson to Brisbane’s Islamic College next month, as well as other mosques in the city.

“It is a very important aspect of our faith to support those who are oppressed … whether they are Muslims or not is irrelevant … We believe there has been oppression done to Indigenous people over the years,” he said.

“For decades now everybody else has spoken for Indigenous people … that is why it is important for us to get Noel in to speak to the (Islamic) community.”

Polling by the Australia Institute, released last month, found that overall the Yes campaign holds a slight majority, but 15 per cent of people are still unsure how they will vote.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton opposes the Voice, as does Queensland LNP leader David Crisafulli.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is supporting the Yes campaign, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to mobilise Labor Party national resources to support the Yes campaign.