Southern Downs community and political leaders divided as Voice referendum approaches
The Southern Downs region is among those divided over the upcoming Voice referendum, with many community leaders calling for action. Full story here.
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On October 14 our nation will gather to vote in what is arguably one of our most important referendums to date and one that seemingly has Australia divided.
Despite receiving constant backlash from opposition leaders around the nation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remains confident the $364m referendum will be worth it, win or lose.
Many of the Southern Downs’ political leaders have acknowledged that while the Voice was unpopular in the region, there were many community leaders and members who were hopeful a Yes vote will succeed.
A community forum will be held at Warwick’s St Mary’s Parish on Wednesday, October 4 and will include a panel highly educated in First Nations laws and the finer workings of the proposed constitutional amendment.
YES
JOEL RICHTERS, SOUTHERN DOWNS CANDIDATE FOR LABOR
Southern Downs Labor candidate Joel Richters has no issues with the proposed Voice amendment and believes No campaigners have put forward conspiracy theories solely based on fear mongering rather thank facts.
“I’ve firmly believed for a long time our First Nation’s people should be recognised in the constitution and as far as the establishment of the Voice is concerned, it’s just an advisory body that practically already exists and putting it the constitution puts it in place for perpetuity and not the whim of the government,” he said.
Mr Richters said it was concerning our nation could come together in support of and recognise marriage equality under our laws but can’t seem to agree to establishing an advisory committee.
“I’m seriously concerned about what an ultimate No result looks like, how we will be perceived by the international community, and how are we going to treat and perceive Indigenous Australians if majority of the country says no to recognising them in the constitution,” he said.
“Where does that leave them and what does that say about us?”
ADAM AND CARMEL WOODING, EMPOWER DIGITAL AND YES FOR SOUTHERN DOWNS
Empower Digital directors Adam and Carmel Wooding have banded together along with many other Southern Downs community members to ensure the region as a whole was provided the appropriate information and has a safe space to ask questions.
“I’m a teacher and librarian, and have always been passionate about the freedom of information and just wanted to have that community in Warwick for people who are unsure, or just want more facts about the Voice to have a safe space to go,” Mrs Wooding said.
“The whole ‘if you don’t know, vote No’ really rubs me the wrong way because we’re not a nation that does things for the wrong reasons.
“I think whichever way people vote for in the Southern Downs I hope they take the time to find out information and make their own decisions consciously.”
The community group Yes for Southern Downs has grown in numbers and has seen many of the region’s First Nations people join in on the group’s movement.
“The Southern Downs group is just really wonderful community and it’s not something that Adam and I can take credit for, it really just is a group effort of people who have come together with a real passion for First Nations people and the Voice who want to get information out there,” she said.
“It’s not about any of us as individual group members, we’re all just in this because we really believe in the Yes vote and believe it’s going to improve our First Nations community’s lives,” Mr Wooding said.
Both Adam and Carmel agreed it was time for our nation to step up and formally recognise the traditional owners of our great nation.
“It’s time to step up and come together, and it’s about acknowledgment and embracing.”
NEIL MEIKLEJOHN, COMMUNITY MEMBER AND FORMER SOUTHERN DOWNS COUNCILLOR
Born and bred on the Southern Downs, Neil Meiklejohn is a major supporter of the proposed Voice to Parliament and strongly feels our nation needs to step up and keep working towards closing the gap for our Indigenous Australians.
“I think we’ve been throwing a lot of money at the challenges faced by our First Nations people, but we haven’t been listening to what they think the solutions are,” he said.
Mr Meiklejohn said we could learn a lot from the enormous progress New Zealand has made in acknowledging their traditional owners and was hopeful our nation could do the same.
“I’d just like to see First Nations culture celebrated, acknowledged and work on closing the gap together, and I think this is the way forward,” he said.
“We have to do something regardless of yes or no, there still has to be actions, we can’t let this slide.”
As a facilitator for the Southern Downs Understanding the Voice community forum to be held in Warwick on Wednesday, Mr Meiklejohn said he was encouraged the community would take the opportunity to put forward any concerns about the referendum to a panel of First Nations experts.
NO
JAMES LISTER MP, MEMBER FOR SOUTHERN DOWNS
Member for Southern Downs James Lister identified he would be voting No come the October 14 referendum, and that he ultimately believed the Voice referendum would fail our First Nations people.
“The Voice referendum is deeply unpopular in my electorate of Southern Downs, and the communities I represent would probably tar and feather me if I voted Yes,” he said.
“We are so over this. Country people are pragmatic, big-hearted and generous, but we’re tired of hollow political correctness, we’re tired of wasted spending, and we’re tired of this referendum putting issues like crime, health, water security, living costs and homelessness out of focus.
“And most of all we are tired of being labeled as racist and stupid for disagreeing with the political and cultural elites of this country, whose whole approach to Indigenous advancement has failed for decades and wasted untold billions of taxpayers’ dollars.
“This whole Voice proposal is disconnected from the concerns of everyday Australians and from the interests and views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people everywhere. It’s a project of the inner cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra not the people of Cherbourg, Arakun and Palm Island.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have told me that they – like all Australians – have widely varying views on all kinds of subjects, so to claim that their views would be represented by a top-heavy body of appointed favourites is an outrageous absurdity.
“The Albanese government refuses to say who would be on this body, how they would be chosen, and what it will cost.
“You just don’t go about meddling with the constitution for the vibe of it and the vibe is all the detail we’ve been given about the proposal.
“The cost of the referendum alone is a staggering $350m according to the 2023 federal budget papers, but I believe that Australians will overwhelmingly vote no in October’s referendum, and when that result comes in, they will turn to Mr Albanese and angrily ask what he and his government has been doing for the past 18 months.
“I think he’ll be hard pressed to give a straight answer.”
UNDECLARED
MAYOR VIC PENNISI
Southern Downs mayor Vic Pennisi chose not to reveal his personal views on the upcoming Voice referendum, instead encouraging the community to vote based on what they feel is the right thing to do for our nation.
“It is unfortunate that a well-meaning proposal designed to unite the nation can divide us so contentiously,” he said.
“On one side, there are people who are uncomfortable with making such a historical decision without fully understanding the impact, and then there are others who are comfortable and passionate with the proposal’s well-meaning sentiment.
“I believe that the referendum will be decided through a conscious decision and that every individual has the right to vote on based on their understanding and their views for the future.
“It is not my role to influence as I represent and respect ratepayers on both sides of this debate, and therefore, I encourage the community to vote based on what they feel is the right thing to do for our nation.”
Warwick Daily News also reached out to Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce, Warwick Chamber of Commerce and Warwick Credit Union, who did not provide comment.
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