Groundswell of support

28 September 2023

More than 20,000 Australians from all walks of life have volunteered their support for Yes23, a campaign championing the case for a Voice to Parliament.

These supporters are mostly people who have never volunteered in a political campaign, says Yes23 campaign director, Quandamooka man Dean Parkin.

“These are everyday Australians from all walks of life. They attend Saturday market stalls and have conversations; they talk to people at train stations, and they knock on people’s doors,” he says.

Parkin says Yes23 volunteers aim to reach the homes of more than half of the federal electorates across the country. The group, which is supported by charity organisation Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition, has also launched an advertising campaign.

Parkin says the Yes23 campaign volunteers are gathering data about knowledge of and support for the referendum as they travel across the country.

Their research reveals that between 30 and 40 per cent of people remain undecided, and that many “haven’t really heard about it”.

“We are just asking people what they know, and what their views are. And then we talk about how this is about recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of our country.

“And a lot of people are very excited about that. In fact, a lot of people are quite surprised that in 2023, we haven’t already done that.”

Generosity and goodwill

Parkin, from Minjerribah, now known as North Stradbroke Island in Queensland, says the data is also showing strong support for change: “There are millions of Australians who are open to this conversation. There’s a lot of generosity and goodwill. And that’s where we are putting our focus.”

Organisations across Australia have publicly announced support for the Voice referendum in growing numbers, including the AEU, which endorsed the Yes case for a Voice to Parliament at the Annual Federal Conference in February.

Russell Honnery, AEU Yes for Voice campaign lead, says the Yes case “outlines the many ways in which a Voice can improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, in all spheres of life, especially education”.

“For far too long, First Nations Australians have been left out of the decision-making process, including on matters that most directly impact them, and this has led to a shameful gap in life
outcomes for Indigenous peoples. This must change,” Honnery says.

The Yes23 advertising campaign features Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples talking about “what happens when we give Indigenous people a voice and showcases the diversity of the Indigenous voices strongly in support of this”, says Parkin.

“The results are positive, strength-based outcomes and people will start to see the impact the yes vote can have on life outcomes.”

Positive and practical action

Parkin says “as teachers and educators know, education outcomes, housing outcomes and job outcomes just aren’t good enough when it comes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

“And we are telling Australian people that now is their opportunity to do something good, and practical, that will impact people’s lives in a really positive way,” he says.

He says the timing is right for change and the momentum is growing: “We are still the equivalent of two elections away from a normal election campaign, which goes for about 30 or 40 days. So, there’s quite a bit of time between now and then for us to reach many more millions of Australians, both in our on-the-ground campaign, but also through our advertising.

“With the way that the Constitution works, and the way that the referendum works, our job as voters is to agree to that very simple notion that we should have a Voice to Parliament. Then we have the opportunity to decide on the detail and the structure. Our work now is in convincing people to take that very first step and agree in principal that we need to change the way things are – and we think there is goodwill and openness to change from the Australian people.”

By Leanne Tolra

This article was originally published in the Australian Educator, Spring 2023