Farnham lends iconic song to the Yes campaign hoping to ‘change the lives’ of Indigenous Australians

The Yes campaign is not gonna sit in silence — John Farnham has lent his iconic song to promote the referendum for an Indigenous Voice. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Yes campaigners will declare “You’re the Voice” in a new ad campaign partnering with singer John Farnham to promote the referendum for an Indigenous Voice.

Farnham has granted the use of his iconic song to the Yes movement, which is hoping to use it to secure support for enshrining an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in the constitution at the referendum on October 14.

“This song changed my life. I can only hope that now it might help, in some small way, to change the lives of our First Nations Peoples for the better,” Farnham said.

But Opposition leader Peter Dutton took a dig at the campaign’s use of the song on Sunday morning, telling Sky News the lyrics were appropriate given confusion surrounding the Voice.

“In a sense, it’s the appropriate theme song for the Yes campaign, because remember that the key line in the lyrics there is, you know, ‘you’re the voice, try to understand it’,” he said.

John Farnham has partnered with the Yes Campaign, lending his iconic song You’re the Voice to promote the referendum for an Indigenous Voice.

“I honestly don’t think most Australians understand it. And they want to be informed.”

Tim Wheatley, Farnham’s close friend and son of his manager Glenn Wheatley, said the beloved song was “aligned with humanity”.

“You’re the Voice is not aligned with any political party,” he said.

“It’s a song for all Australians. Always has been, always will be.”

Mr Wheatley said “win or lose” the referendum, the song would “forever remain on the right side of history”.

“John and my father have fiercely protected this song’s use for decades, I think for this very moment,” he said.

The architects behind the Uluru Statement from the Heart will on Sunday launch a new film using Farnham’s song as a soundtrack for historic Australian moments in a call to action to support an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

The ad campaign will follow a family witnessing key moments in Australian history.

The film will start in the 1980s, at the time the iconic song was released, and witness a family through the years as they witness key moments in Australian history, pondering the 1967 referendum to count Indigenous people in the census through to Cathy Freeman’s epic gold medal win at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Uluru Dialogue co-chair and Cobble Cobble woman Professor Megan Davis said the purpose of the film was to mobilise the nation and “motivate people to support the Voice as the next chapter in Australia’s history”.

“You’re the Voice is the nation’s unofficial anthem. I was in primary school when it was released and, as a young girl, instantaneously felt the power of its message about agency and walking together.

“It is an empowering message,” she said.

Uluru Dialogue co-chairs Megan Davis (left) and Pat Anderson have welcomed Farnham’s song for the campaign. Picture: John Feder

Fellow Uluru Dialogue co-chair and Alyawarre woman Pat Anderson said she hoped the film would remind the nation of the historic opportunity presented by voting Yes.

“When it matters most, Australians show up for each other,” she said.

“You’re the Voice is archival proof of the people of this country using their voice to show up and stand on the right side of history,” she said

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Originally published as Farnham lends iconic song to the Yes campaign hoping to ‘change the lives’ of Indigenous Australians