Tiwi Islanders cast first votes in the Voice to Parliament referendum

Tiwi Islanders have been among the first people in Australia to cast their vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum. Here’s what they said.

A chance to be recognised, “move on” and work together are just some of the reasons Tiwi people are voting ‘Yes’ in the referendum.

Dozens of voters cast their ballot in Wurrumiyanga on Tuesday, the first of four days the Bathurst Island community’s early polling station would be open.

While every voter the NT News spoke to during the brief visit said they supported the Voice, thousands of other Tiwi people are yet to vote.

A tragic death in the community at the weekend also meant hundreds of people were occupied with sorry business, posing yet another challenge for Australian Electoral Commission teams on the ground to gather votes.

However Marie Carmel Kantilla, 73, said she was “hopeful” Tiwi Islanders would come out this week to support the Voice.

Marie Carmel Kantilla was at the Wurrumiyanga polling station on Tuesday for early remote voting in the Voice referendum. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“We need to move on instead of staying in one place (with) nothing happening, we’re circling around doing the same things,” she said.

“Start learning, education and doing some skilled jobs … keep them moving

“That’s my hope, as an Elder, that’s my hope for our future ones, for our grandkids.”

Jeffrey Miller Puruntatameri, 30, said he believed the Voice to Parliament could lead to real changes.

Jeffrey Miller Puruntatameri believed an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice would have a positive impact for remote people on the ground. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“For example Yuendumu was one of the places that was talked about (at Barunga Festival) with uranium in the water … and there’s a lot of patients on dialysis,” he said.

“We need someone to go to (the) government, sit there in the parliament and help these people on the ground, because they’re suffering and we’re suffering as well with the pain.

“If we can start something now it will change our people’s lives in the future.”

John Pilakui, a Tiwi Island councillor and traditional owner, said there was “some confusion” in the community about the referendum but believed most people would join him in voting yes.

John Pilakui said an “average” amount of information provided to Tiwi Islanders have left some confused, but he believed people would support the Yes vote. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“For too long we’ve been kept on the dark side … it’s about time, we need changes for our people,” the 40-year-old said.

“There’s a lot of issues that need to be fixed.

“It’s very important if you want to achieve anything, going and talking to people to have that better understanding.”

Early remote polling started on Monday and involves AEC teams travelling by plane, chopper, car, barge or boat to the country’s most remote locations.

AEC Commissioner Tom Rogers said 19 teams would be visiting more than 200 Territory communities over the next three weeks.

“We go to communities where there are as few as 10 enrolled voters, it’s an amazing outreach by the AEC,” he said.

“Every Australian deserves to have their say and that’s what we try to achieve.”

A list of remote voting opportunities can be found here.

Originally published as Tiwi Islanders cast first votes in the Voice to Parliament referendum