Inner West Brewers Association to back Yes vote after sparking uproar from Inner West councillors

Some of Sydney’s most well known breweries are vowing to get behind the Voice referendum after their support for a Yes vote left some inner city councillors frothing.

Mike Clarke, founder of Sauce Brewing Co in Marrickville.

Some of Sydney’s most well-known breweries are vowing to get behind the Voice referendum after their support for a Yes vote left some inner city councillors frothing.

The Inner West Brewers Association has expressed support to hold a community ‘Inner West Breweries for Yes’ event in a move to bolster the public’s support for the upcoming referendum.

The idea has been spearheaded by Inner West mayor Darcy Byrne who has proposed for the council to join forces with the association to hold a community event.

But the involvement of the region’s craft beer sector has hit a sour note among Greens and independent councillors with fears it would be “insensitive” to the issue of alcohol-related harm which disproportionately impacts Indigenous communities.

Greens councillor Marghanita da Cruz labelled the move “offensive”.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne.

“There’s a big problem with alcohol in our community so to say the referendum has anything to do with alcohol or our constitution and to single out the industry I think misses the mark,” she said. “Alcohol is a very sensitive issue – I’ve just finished reading Archie Roach’s biography and that’s a very story about the effects of alcohol.

“More and more Indigenous elders are saying to young people ‘don’t drink’. Singling out alcohol for an election issue degrades the Yes vote.”

Inner West councillor Marghanita da Cruz.

The proposal for an Inner West Breweries for Yes event was also met with criticism from Balmain Greens MP Kobi Shetty and independent councillor John Stamolis who said the council should not “single out” the industry.

But despite the objections, Mr Byrne said he still planned to approach breweries to hold the Yes campaign event.

He labelled the criticism about the involvement of the craft beer sector as “disgraceful”.

“I don’t believe it is a denigration or in any way disrespectful to aboriginal people (and) I think it would be great if such a prominent local sector were to advocate for the Yes vote,” he said.

Sauce Brewing co-founder Mike Clarke.

Inner West Brewers Association president Mike Clarke – who runs Marrickville’s Sauce Brewing – said the association was open to holding an event.

The brewers association – which represents 12 breweries including Young Henrys, Wayward Brewing Company and Batch Brewing – also held a meeting last week where members expressed unanimous support for a Yes vote.

“It’s very hard to agree with the (criticism of our involvement) but we recognise alcohol is an issue in some places,” Mr Clarke said. “The association does support the Yes campaign and we’ve discussed creating materials like posters and ‘Yes’ coasters in our venues.

“Breweries are pretty progressive and community minded so I think we are well placed to advocate for the Yes vote. Whether people drink or don’t drink is a personal choice.”

Andy Miller – the chief executive of non-alcoholic brewery Heaps Normal – is one of the members of the association

A spokesman for ‘No’ campaign group Fair Australia criticised the proposed event, saying the council has “even managed to turn something as Australian as beer into a divisive, controversial event.”

“Fair Australia would caution against breweries spoiling their brands by associating them with the most divisive referendum campaign in our nation’s history,” he said.

The Yes23 Campaign declined to comment on the proposal.

Last week’s council meeting saw councillors vote to display the map of Indigenous Australia in the council chamber and at local libraries, display the image of the Uluru Statement from the Heart in the council chambers, and to fly the Torres Strait Islander flag in the chamber alongside the Aboriginal flag.

The council will also write to all local non-government organisations proposing ways to hold an event promoting the Yes campaign.

Labor councillor Mat Howard expressed support for all industries – including breweries – to pledge support for a Yes vote – saying that “for us to win this referendum we have to have conversations with people we don’t usually speak to.”