Jesinta Franklin ‘overcome with emotion’ ahead of voting in the Voice to Parliament referendum

Jesinta Franklin has shared a moving statement to Instagram, sharing why she is voting ‘Yes’ in the Voice to Parliament referendum.

Jesinta Franklin has shared a moving statement to Instagram, sharing why she is voting ‘Yes’ in the Voice to Parliament referendum.

The outspoken supporter of Indigenous issues wrote she was “overcome with emotion” as she headed to bed the night before voting day.

Posted alongside a video compilation of her family, the caption read that Australia is the “only former colony in the world that does not recognise our first peoples in our founding document”.

“Our constitution recognises lighthouses and coinage but doesn’t recognise the people I love and care about the most in this world, my husband and children. This simply isn’t right”.

Jesinta, pictured with her family, has shared why she is voting ‘Yes’ in the Voice to Parliament referendum. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Jesinta Franklin has shared a moving statement to Instagram. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

The wife of former Swans AFL star Lance “Buddy” Franklin, who is of Indigenous heritage, asked voters to think about the impact two very simple words are going to have on Indigenous Australians who “fight for equality in a country that doesn’t recognise them in the constitution, even though they have been here for 65,000 years”.

“A first world country where their Indigenous people are showing up in third world statistics and issues”.

The 31-year-old went on to ask Australians to think about the impact a ‘Yes’ result would have and what an advisory committee would be able to achieve by guiding the government in the right direction “so we can finally be on the right track to stop the continual degradation of Indigenous people”.

“This is what humanity is all about. It’s about doing things for other people that may not have any impact on you but is going to improve or positively impact someone else’s life,” she wrote.

Franklin was crowned Miss Universe Australia in 2010. Picture: Richard Dobson

“This is our chance as a nation to hold our hand out and say, ‘we see you, we recognise you and we want to listen and learn from you and walk this journey together moving forward, so we can heal and do better for future generations’.”

Addressing her and Buddy’s two young children, Franklin concluded: “Tullulah and Rocky, Mum and Dad are voting ‘Yes’ for you tomorrow and we want you to know that no matter what the outcome is, you matter and your lives are valued beyond measure”.

The 31-year-old posted a video with her moving message. Picture: Instagram

“You, along with your dad, are survivors of the oldest living culture in the world and that is something to always be proud of and something we will continue to always celebrate with you”.

Franklin shot to fame in 2010 after being crowned Miss Universe Australia. She married Buddy in November 2016. Their daughter, Tullulah, is aged three, and their son, Rocky, is two.

Franklin gushed over her AFL legend husband after his glittering career was brought to an immediate end by a calf injury, writing on social media it was “the end of an era”.

She has previously shared her views on Indigenous issues, with Buddy descending from Western Australia’s Whadjuk-Noongar people.

Franklin wasn’t the only one to call for a Yes vote.

Patty Mills had his say. Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Latrell also spoke up. Photo: NRL PHOTOS

Patty Mills, the first Indigenous player to represent the Boomers at three consecutive Olympics took to Instagram on the eve of the vote for a final call for the Yes campaign.

“Australia is voting on having a committee made of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on issues and policies that will affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mills said.

“This committee cannot make any new laws. They cannot control funding. They cannot sit in Houses of Parliament. They are only there to advise.

“The reason why this is so simple but so important is because we are voting on the referendum to update the constitution.

“Would you want a plumber or an electrician to give advice on plumbing? Would you want a doctor or a mechanic giving advice on fixing your car? Would you want me or Ash Barty to give advice on tennis? It is simple. Get advice from the right people. Vote yes.”

Indigenous NRL star Latrell Mitchell also took to Instagram to share his view.

Although he conceded the process wasn’t going to be perfect but that “voting NO only puts us further behind as a country.

“I want change for our kids. For all kids,” he wrote.

“Better country, better people.”

Originally published as Jesinta Franklin ‘overcome with emotion’ ahead of voting in the Voice to Parliament referendum