NSW towns with biggest Aboriginal populations left ‘in the dark’ about the Voice

NSW towns with some of the largest Aboriginal populations in the state have been left “in the dark” about what the Voice will do as mayors say the lack of information is pushing people to vote no.

Regional mayors with some of the state’s highest Aboriginal populations in their towns have described the Voice proposal as confusing and unclear, signalling a disconnect between the Commonwealth’s plan and sections of the Aboriginal community.

Community leaders – including one Aboriginal mayor – say the lack of information is undermining the chances of the Yes vote succeeding.

Coonamble Mayor and Aboriginal man Tim Horan said his constituents were telling him they were likely to vote no in the referendum, set to take place later this year.

He said his council had not yet been engaged by the government or the Yes camp and Coonamble locals were still waiting to understand what the Voice would do.

“The constituents I have spoken to are generally against it. There are people who are supportive of it but it seems like people are voting ‘no’,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

“They are saying they don’t know much about it and usually they see someone important or someone they look up to saying no so they are following that.”

Coonamble Mayor Tim Horan.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Horan said he was hopeful he would learn more details about the proposal soon and called on both camps to come and engage with locals in Coonamble.

“At this stage I’m a no voter. I wanted to do more homework on it before I made a definite decision. I just think it’s pretty convoluted and no one knows really what it means,” he said.

“I see more about it on TV than I’m hearing directly. I’m sure we will start hearing from them pretty soon.”

Mr Horan also slammed comments from Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney that the Voice would not advise on whether the Australia Day date should be changed.

“We have Aboriginal people that come along to our Australia Day ceremonies, there are people that don’t and I respect that,” he said.

“Australia Day seems to be one of the biggest issues in the Aboriginal community yet they don’t want to let the voice talk about it.”

Narrabri Mayor Ron Campbell. Picture: Justin Lloyd

The Coalition has repeatedly seized on the government’s failure to provide details of the referendum and the Voice’s powers – a claim Mr Albanese has baulked at.

Narrabri Mayor Ron Campbell said his community was “still in the dark” about the Voice but he hoped an upcoming video conference from the government would finally hold some answers.

“I have looked into it as much as I possibly can to see what the consequences are or what the circumstances are but I’m still in the dark. They are not saying too much,” he said.

“I’m a big supporter of Aboriginal people, of Aboriginal culture, I live beside Aboriginal people, they are a part of my life and always have been. There are people (in Narrabri) who are supportive of the idea but there are plenty who don’t know enough about it and that’s the main thing they don’t know enough about to have an opinion.”

Gunnedah Mayor Jamie Chaffey said his council stayed out of the referendum debate as it was a federal domain but he had personally spoken to community members who were divided.

“There are passionate people on both sides of the argument but what I’m hearing from the Aboriginal people is that those who oppose it are of the view that they don’t really understand the details and how their representatives are elected,” he said.

“From the non-Aboriginal people they are asking what does this really mean? What are the details?

“As time gets closer, both sides of the debate will ramp up. You can’t reasonably ask people to vote for something they don’t understand.”

The north-west NSW country town of Gunnedah, where the community is ‘divided’ on the Voice. Picture: Peter Lorimer

Mr Chaffey said regional towns would feel a strong impact of the referendum outcome with 15 per cent of all locals and 35 per cent of people aged under 20 years in Gunnedah being of Aboriginal descent

Moree Mayor Mark Johnson said the Voice had not been a topic of discussion in his community with locals still reeling from floods last October.

“We had floods in October and it’s a busy time of the year for us with agriculture and cotton harvest. I truly think people haven’t had time to put their mind to it as important as a topic it is,” he said.

Moree Mayor Mark Johnson. Picture: John Grainger

The calls for clarity from regional mayors comes as at least nine NSW councils have voted to back the Yes vote and pump thousands into the national campaign.

The Daily Telegraph asked all 128 NSW councils for their position on the Voice, with Bayside, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Georges River, Lake Macquarie, Lithgow and Woollahra confirming they’ve joined Randwick and City of Sydney to back the ‘yes’ vote.

A Yes 23 Campaign spokesman said there would be more community-based events across Western NSW in the coming months.

“Hundreds of councils across the country have already hosted or helped facilitate community information sessions, and we warmly welcome this engagement,” he said.

“We will happily work and engage with any council that is willing to help spread the message and spark conversations about the referendum.”

A spokesman for Ms Burney added: “I’m looking forward to hitting the road and speaking with as many communities as possible across NSW.”

Originally published as NSW towns with biggest Aboriginal populations left ‘in the dark’ about the Voice