Prominent Voice campaigner’s vision for Aussies to ‘Pay The Rent’ resurfaces

A prominent “Yes” campaigner for the Voice to Parliament says it’s a step towards getting non-Indigenous Australians to pay rent.

A leading “Yes” campaigner for the Voice to Parliament hopes it will be a step towards getting non-Indigenous Aussies to “pay the rent” for living on Australian land.

In a series of unearthed tweets from 2020, Thomas Mayo – who was a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart – shared his vision of a new life if the Yes vote passes.

He said a “Blak rep body” enshrined in the Constitution – as called for in the Uluru Statement – would have the “resources & structure needed to unite on the priorities we collectively determine.”

“Reparations, land back, abolishing harmful colonial institutions, getting ALL our kids out of prisons & in to care, respect & integration of our laws & lore, speaking language, wages back – all the things we imagine when we demand,” he wrote.

In response to someone calling for non-Indigenous Australians to “pay rent”, Mr Mayo said the way to do this was through a constitutionally enshrined representative body “that the politicians cannot ignore”.

“Paying the rent must be more than your donations to struggling mob – which is important. It must be negotiated with the Commonwealth: reparations, land back etc,” he said.

Thomas Mayo (right) stands by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s side as the official wording of the referendum question was announced in March. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Pay The Rent initiative proposes a weekly payment from non-Indigenous homeowners to a “Sovereign Body of First Nations people” who will decide where the money is allocated without government input.

The body, which is driven by the motto “saying sorry isn’t enough”, hopes to turn the scheme into an organisation that encourages all Australians to “honour the legacy of the Elders” by giving back to the land through monetary donations.

Mr Mayo’s old tweets are not his only comments about Pay The Rent resurfacing and drawing attention this week in discussions about the upcoming referendum.

2GB host Ben Fordham presented Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin with an audio recording on his program on Tuesday of Mr Mayo speaking about the Voice to Parliament being a first step towards paying the rent, reparations and compensation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Mr Mayo’s previous comments about non-Indigenous Australians “paying the rent” have drawn attention this week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

When Fordham asked Mr Parkin on Tuesday if “paying the rent, reparations and compensation” – as Mr Mayo has described – was part of the conservation, Mr Parkin said it wasn’t the conversation he was having now.

“That’s not the weight of the issues people have been talking to me about,” he said.

Earlier in the interview, Mr Parkin was questioned more generally about “paying the rent” in a question submitted by a listener.

“It’s got nothing to do with the Voice,” Mr Parkin said.

“The Voice is absolutely and has always been about getting to the nub of those real issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in communities: health, education … young people … that’s what the Voice will be focused on.”

Mr Parkin did not explicitly confirm or deny whether the Yes23 campaign had a stance on whether the Voice to Parliament is considered a step towards Pay The Rent when asked by news.com.au.

“The Voice is going to be focused on the issues that have a particular impact on Indigenous communities,” he said in a statement.

“We saw the Closing the Gap report released last week and again there is failure to actually close the gap on key issues such as employment, education and health.

“These are the issues that Indigenous people want to see real action on and there will be enormous accountability on the members of the Voice to make sure that they’re focused on issues that actually have a real impact.”

Mr Albanese holds a press conference after the government’s Constitution Alteration Bill passed in the Senate on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Mayo’s thoughts on what a Voice to Parliament would mean appear different than those spoken about by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – who Mr Mayo stood shoulder to shoulder with in March as the official wording of the referendum question was announced.

When questioned on Monday about division over the reform and the power the Voice would actually have, Mr Albanese told reporters for most people watching at home it would have little impact on their lives.

“This will be an advisory body that is not a funding organisation,” he said.

“It will not run programs and will not have the power of veto over the decisions to be made in the National Parliament. It is just that, an advisory body.

“But voice is a powerful word, because it will give First Nations people a voice. And it is up to us to listen to that voice.

“The truth is, that for most people watching this, it will have no direct impact on their lives. But it just might make lives better of the most disadvantaged group in Australia today.”

Mr Albanese, who has yet to announce the date of the referendum, told reporters he had faith Australians would vote “yes” despite recent polls suggesting support was waning.

news.com.au has contacted Mr Mayo for further comment.