PM Anthony Albanese in Elizabeth for official launch of the Yes campaign, reveals date for Voice referendum is October 14

The PM has finally confirmed the date for the Voice referendum, surrounded by hundreds of Yes supporters in Adelaide’s north.

• Poll reveals which way SA leaning

Adelaide’s north was the centrepiece for Wednesday’s official launch of the Yes campaign with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiling October 14 as the date for this year’s Voice referendum.

More than 400 supporters attended the event at the Playford Civic Centre as Mr Albanese and a number of prominent Voice supporters including Premier Peter Malinsukas gave speeches.

Mr Malinasukas said the campaign launch was history repeating itself, as the yes campaign for the 1967 referendum which successfully included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the census, was also launched in Adelaide.

“It is not a coincidence of history that the campaign to launch the 1967 referendum also started right here on Kaurna yerta (country),” Mr Malinauskas said.

“But allow me to speak plainly. I don’t know how South Australians will vote on October 14. None of us do.

“But what we do know is that South Australians are capable of making the really big decisions at the really important moments.”

The Prime Minister was cheered on after announcing the date for the referendum would be October 14. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Premier Peter Malinauskas is congratulated by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after delivering his speech. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Indigenous leader and the AFL’S General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy, Tanya Hosch, received a standing ovation when she succeeded the Prime Minister’s speech with her own, calling the upcoming referendum a “defining moment.”

“There comes a time in the life of every nation when it must put right the injustices of the past,” Ms Hosch said.

“A time to say no more to exclusion and prejudice. A time for us to be our better selves.

“A movement is growing to recognise the long and impressive first chapter of our national story and banish the lingering absence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from our constitution.

“For remaining silent about the long and impressive chapter of our national story of this land, we are saying one or two things.

“Either this chapter didn’t happen, or that it is unimportant and we know both these things to be patently untrue.”

Tanya Hosch delivers her speech at the Yes23 Campaign launch. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Mr Albanese said the Voice was an idea that came from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through the Uluru Statement From the Heart and encouraged Australians to think of the “alternative”.

“Let’s be very clear about the alternative. Because voting ‘no’ leads nowhere. It means nothing changes,” he said.

“Voting no closes the door on this opportunity to move forward (and) I say today, don’t close the door on constitutional recognition, don’t close the door on listening to communities to get better results.

“Don’t close the door on an idea that came from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people themselves.”

It was widely expected October 14 would be the date and it had already been given the tick of approval from the governor-general.

Cheryl Axleby, head of Aboriginal Housing for the SA Government, at the Yes23 campaign launch at Elizabeth. Picture: Douglas Smith

Jeremy Johncock, Yes supporter for the Voice. Picture: Douglas Smith

Among supporters was the head of Aboriginal Housing for the state government, Cheryl Axleby, who said it had been a long time coming and to see the launch happening was years of work coming together.

“It’s probably one of the days in my lifetime that I’ve been waiting for to be honest,” she said.

“I’m hoping the rest of Australians will see us and this opportunity to nature the nation and to recognise our mob in our rightful place.

“Because we know that when we set our own self determination and have input into our decisions, we know that we get better outcomes for our mob.”

Wirangu man Jeremy Johncock said he was “excited” to hear from the Prime Minister and encouraged Australians to put aside their political beliefs when asking themselves whether to vote yes or no.

“It’s great to see such a great turnout and this is shaping up to be a very important decision for the nation,” he said.

“I guess for me, I’ll strip it right back to remove what political party that you are aligned to and just ask yourself the question, ‘do you think it’s reasonable that the First Nations people of this country are recognised as just that’, the First Nations peoples of this country.

Supporters for the Yes vote in Adelaide on Wednesday (from left) Natasha Stott Despoja, former SA Senator and Leader of the Australian Democrats; Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Kate Carnell, former Liberal Chief Minister of the ACT. Picture: Emma Brasier

Supporters lined up to attend the Yes23 campaign launch at Elizabeth. Picture: Douglas Smith

“But also, do you think it’s reasonable that we get to have a say in the policies and laws that affect us?”

The campaign launch marks the Prime Minister’s last major announcement before voting day, with the event a final chance to spark fresh momentum for the Yes vote.

On Tuesday, the PM told the Advertiser that enshrining a First Nations Voice to parliament in the constitution would have the opposite effect of another layer of bureaucracy.

Mr Albanese said a Voice would instead improve the delivery of services for Indigenous Australians.

“This is the reverse of that. This is about listening to local communities and having them heard in Canberra, as opposed to bureaucracies in Canberra having a voice to local communities,” he said.

“That‘s why it’s such an important part of reform.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Yes23 campaign launch in Elizabeth. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Ahead of the launch, Voice architect Noel Pearson described Adelaide as the “epicentre” of the Yes campaign.

“South Australia is absolutely critical to this referendum, as it always has been to any progressive reform in this country,” he said.

It comes as the yes vote for the Voice nudged ahead in South Australia with 52 per cent of people backing the referendum in the must-win state.

It can exclusively be revealed a survey of 605 people – considered representative of the state – commissioned by the Australia Institute in the first week of August, found 43 per cent of South Australians supported the Voice, while 39 per cent said they planned to vote no.

About 18 per cent said they were undecided, but when asked which way they were leaning those voters split exactly in the middle to deliver Yes a narrow 52-48 lead. The result is the first sign efforts to turn the campaign around on the ground may be having an impact, with previous polls showing the no vote ahead in SA.

Originally published as PM Anthony Albanese in Elizabeth for official launch of the Yes campaign, reveals date for Voice referendum is October 14