New ad campaign asks Australians to be a part of history and support a Voice to Parliament

A landmark ad campaign supporting an Indigenous Voice to Parliament aims to inspire Australians to learn about the proposal. See the sneak peek.

A landmark ad campaign supporting an indigenous Voice to Parliament will aim to inspire Australians to learn about the proposal, as advocates acknowledge it will “take time” for people to understand why it matters.

Australians from all backgrounds will be asked to be a part of history and vote “yes” to enshrine the Voice in the nation’s constitution in a new advertisement launched by the Uluru Statement on Monday ahead of the prospective referendum next year.

The Voice would enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to give advice to the parliament on policies that affect their lives, which supporters – including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – have said would not be a “third chamber” of government.

The ad, which is part of a broader education campaign named “History is Calling,” imagines a future where Pitjantjatjara and Nyungar man Trevor Jamieson is telling young children about how First Peoples achieved a Voice to Parliament with the help of Australians everywhere.

Wemba Wemba man and Uluru Dialogue member Eddie Synot said establishing a Voice would have practical impacts on closing the gap, and acknowledged questions about how it would work and why it mattered were “legitimate”.

The Uluru Statement has released an ad to support its Voice referendum campaign "History is Calling" to inform the Australian public on how voting “Yes” for a First Nations Voice will change history. Picture: Supplied

Supporters of the yes campaign are hoping the ad will inspire Australians to learn more about the Voice to Parliament and the Uluru Statement. Picture: Supplied

“Everyone is well aware of the failings of indigenous affairs over the last couple of decades and longer,” he said.

“Despite all of the effort and resource and everything that goes into closing the gap and the various different policies, things on the ground aren’t markedly improving for indigenous peoples.

The ad will launch as part of a broader education campaign. Picture: Supplied

“It’s only right and fair that we have a direct say in those decisions that are made about us.”

Cobble Cobble woman, constitutional lawyer and Uluru Dialogue co-chair Professor Megan Davis said it was “vital” supporters of the Voice continued to educate Australians on “what the Voice is, why it matters and what it will do for the future”.

“We know this will take time, as many Australians are only joining us on this long journey now, but we are closer than ever to real, tangible change,” she said.

A date for the referendum has not been decided yet. Picture: Supplied

A date for the referendum has not been set yet, but in July Mr Albanese revealed the draft question would ask Australians: “Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?”.

Several Coalition MPs have raised concerns about the lack of public detail about how the Voice would work.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton last week said he was concerned the government was making decisions around the Voice “on the run”.

“I think there are questions that reasonably should be answered and we’re (the Coalition) approaching it in good faith, but I hope that the Prime Minister can provide those answers.”

Originally published as New ad campaign asks Australians to be a part of history and support a Voice to Parliament