Yumba Meta founder Dr Ernest Hoolihan slams 1967 style ‘scare tactics’ ahead of Voice referendum

One of Townsville’s most respected Indigenous figures, Dr Ernest Hoolihan, has opened up about why he supports the Voice, as Yumba Meta also endorses the Yes campaign.

Dr Ernest Hoolihan and Janine Gertz. Picture: Shae Beplate.

One of Townsville’s most respected Indigenous figures, Dr Ernest Hoolihan OAM, has opened up about why he supports the Voice, as Yumba Meta also endorses the Yes campaign.

At age 90, Dr Hoolihan dedicated his life to trying to improve the lives of Indigenous people living in North Queensland and helped house thousands after he founded Yumba Meta in 1973.

During the 1967 referendum, he watched as his father, Dick Hoolihan, who was then president of the Townsville Aboriginal Advancement League, alongside Eddie Mabo, canvassed the city and drummed up support for it.

Dr Hoolihan said many similar “scare tactics” used during 1967 had resurfaced now as Australia heads to the polls for the Voice to Parliament referendum on October 14.

He’s urging Townsville residents not to get sucked in by “all the disinformation” circulating at the moment before they vote.

Dr Ernest Hoolihan and Janine Gertz. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“It’ll do a lot of things we’re not able to do at present,” he said.

“It’s only an advisory body, not what the no voters say it’s going to be, that it’ll divide the nation and all that.

“One thing I wanted to say is that those people who have never suffered any humiliation, prejudices and injustices – they don’t see anything wrong with where we are now.

“The Voice business that’s (not needed).

“But for those whose lives were adversely affected by those issues – they want a change.

“They want something different to be done. They want different outcomes.”

Yumba Meta director Dr Janine Gertz said their organisation had come out to endorse the Yes campaign because it aligned with their direction and what they stood for.

“It’s always been Yumba Meta’s role to advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are the most vulnerable in our community through house and homelessness programs,” she said.

“So it’s a natural and logical extension for us to endorse that Yes position because we will then have a role following a successful referendum to advocate for housing for our local communities.”

She said in the 1967 referendum, the majority of the division of Herbert voted Yes, and while she wants to see that repeated now, she’s worried about disinformation she’s seen shared online.

“I think Townsville has always had this cloud over the top of it as if it’s a place of racism or discrimination, but I think there have been points in time in our political history when the Townsville community has backed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and the 1967 referendum was one of those times,” she said.

“We’re hoping that it will happen again.”

Originally published as Yumba Meta founder Dr Ernest Hoolihan slams 1967 style ‘scare tactics’ ahead of Voice referendum