Noel Pearson makes plea for Voice Yes vote on Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast-based Indigenous leader Noel Pearson says the region’s rich cultural heritage is one of the compelling reasons why its residents should vote ‘Yes’ on Saturday.
Sunshine Coast
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Prominent Indigenous leader and Noosa region resident Noel Pearson says Sunshine Coast residents have “nothing to lose” by recognising Indigenous people in the Constitution through the Voice.
The respected Indigenous leader who lives at Tewantin was a member of the advisory group established to co-design the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and has been campaigning nationally for the Yes vote.
His latest vouch for the Yes vote arrives at a crunch point for the Voice referendum, with Australians set to hit polling booths tomorrow, Saturday, October 14.
Voters will be asked if they approve altering the Constitution to recognise the First Nations people of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
He said non-Indigenous people on the Sunshine Coast have nothing to lose supporting the Voice to Parliament.
“All of the people on the Sunshine Coast that are not Indigenous, they lose nothing, nothing happens to their rights and their peace,” Mr Pearson said.
“They lose absolutely not one iota through recognition.
“Indigenous people will lose the one opportunity we have to be recognised in the Constitution.”
Mr Pearson added that recognition in the Constitution is important to Kabi Kabi people on the Sunshine Coast.
“I’ve participated in meetings with Kabi Kabi people and scores of First Nations groups over the past 15 years,” he said.
“Recognition in this referendum is important to those people as it is for all First Nations groups around the country.”
Mr Pearson added that the Sunshine Coast is rich in Indigenous history.
“I’ve been thinking as I visit other parts of the country, how strong our Aboriginal history is,” he said.
“We live in a region with names like Noosa, Coolum, Tewantin, Eumundi, there is hardly a place name in this part of the country that is not an ancient Aboriginal place name.
“I don’t know what proportion of residents and visitors to this wonderful region realise that these are Aboriginal place names. These are names that are hundreds and probably thousands of years old.”
Mr Pearson’s lived in the region for 10 years, his children have schooled in the area, but his connection dates back three decades.
“During boarding school I came to know Noosa and all the fantastic places around the Sunshine Coast and love it,” he explained.
The Indigenous Australians’ rights to land advocate said it was a privilege to own property on the Sunshine Coast.
“It’s an extraordinary privilege to hold Kabi Kabi land today,” he acknowledged.
“The extraordinary real estate on the Sunny Coast was once the estates of the Kabi Kabi people. Why would you be churlish about recognising the Kabi Kabi?”
Dr Hope O’Chin, also known as Aunty Hope, hailed the importance of recognition for Indigenous people in the Constitution.
A Kabi Kabi/Wakka Wakka/Koa/GuguYalanji educator and artist, Dr O’Chin described the upcoming referendum as a crucial vote for Indigenous people on the Coast.
“I believe it’s a very important issue for our community to consider,” Dr O’Chin said.
“I think it’s important to everyone, you know that Johnny Farnham song, you sing that song and I think you’ve got exactly why it’s important for not just First Nations people to be concerned about a Voice, a recognised legal Voice, in the Constitution but also everybody else.
“I believe that we should be considering similarities of things we care about, we need, rather than differences.”
Dr O’Chin said it had been a long-road for Indigenous people to get recognition.
“It’s been a very, very long struggle to be able to have a Voice or get recognition legally, that is within the legislative framework of whatever legislation is available, the states and territories and subsequently, the Constitution,” she said.
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace this week said while “most Australians agree on recognition” the Voice isn’t the way forward.
“It is disappointing that most Australians agree on recognition and seek a better way forward for positive health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people but we have been presented with this divisive Voice proposal which won’t help our most marginalised Australians,” Mr Wallace said.
“We call on the Prime Minister to take seriously his responsibility to bring the country together instead of tearing it apart.
“As we have seen on the Sunshine Coast, fair-minded and well-meaning Australians will have differing views and can have civil and respectful debate on matters of national character such as these.”
Referendum voting day will take place on Saturday, October 14, with polling places to be open from 8am to 6pm.
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