The Richmond for Yes campaign kicked off this week, with a strong call for volunteers to help deliver a successful Voice referendum.
Bundjalung elder Charline Emzin-Boyd, who is leading the campaign locally, says, ‘People who want to be involved in this special moment in history can get in touch with us at Yes23’.
‘Volunteering is an opportunity to walk with us’, says Charline, ‘so people from different backgrounds and different politics can come together to make Australia a better place for everyone.’
The new campaign is based in the federal electorate of Richmond, which covers coastal towns from Tweed to Ballina, and west to Mullumbimby and Murwillumbah.
Charline is supported by former Liberal politician, Catherine Cusack and Greens candidate, Mandy Nolan.
‘It’s an opportunity for all of us to unite around voting “Yes” to an Indigenous Voice to parliament’, says Nolan. ‘This is a campaign with an absolute culture of positivity.’
Supported across the political aisles
Mandy Nolan has reached out to sitting member, and strong Voice supporter, Labor MP, Justine Elliot, to invite her to play a leading role in the new campaign.
A planning meeting on the weekend was attended by people from across the political spectrum, including former local Nationals candidate, Josh Booyens, and young Labor supporter, Patrick Jones.
‘The Voice is a way to recognise traditional custodians’, says 14-year-old Patrick, who is from Lennox Head.
‘I’m proud to be doing anything I can to promote it’.
Nationally, the ‘Yes’ campaign is being boosted by growing support from elite sports groups, large businesses, unions, major charities, and Indigenous organisations, with polls showing 80 per cent support among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The new Richmond for Yes campaign will work with existing smaller groups already active, such as the Brunswick Valley group, based around Ocean Shores.
‘I feel very positive about this campaign’, says Tim Mulroy, who is part of the Brunswick Valley group, which is in discussions with Splendour in the Grass about a ‘Yes’ presence at next month’s festival.
Volunteers needed
If you want to volunteer, visit Yes23.com.au, scroll down the list of Local Yes Groups, and click on Richmond for Yes, which will start public actions in coming weeks.
New volunteers will also be offered short training, including how to de-escalate with people who want to have an argument.
‘We will win with a positive message’, says former NSW Liberal MP, Catherine Cusack.
Not very subtle. If this is going to be a ‘an opportunity for all of us to unite around voting “yes” to an Indigenous Voice to parliament’ why does it seem that a political candidate is suddenly the local voice for The Voice reaching out to the sitting representative? Why is the sitting member for Richmond – who yes, is very much a Voice supporter and a member of the government who FINALLY stopped with the second chamber BS and whose leader made The Voice his first statement as PM.- being reached out to post launch?
Whose idea was it to make this vital, supposedly non political question, another launching pad and photo op for political opportunism? Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t it the Greens who have been somewhat more equivocal about the issue?
But my question is: was this a “launch” or a call for volunteers that was somewhat gatecrashed?
Mandy is inviting Justine Elliot to commit political suicide? Good luck with that.
“in discussions with Splendour in the Grass about a ‘Yes’ presence at next month’s festival. ” – The north Byron Parklands Splendour site had a rich number of Registered Aboriginal sites from the time it was on the pathway from inland to the coast. There were the historical remains of camping sites and artifact sites and a ceremonial bora ring. The camping sites and artifact sites had dirt piled on top and were buried under the ground to, in the words of the developer “to protect them”, and the historical bora ring is “protected” from the 58,000 attendee event by a hessian wall. This sites development, in terms of protecting our Aboriginal cultural heritage, is an example of what not to do. Dancing on the destruction of Aboriginal heritage?
I’m just wondering whether the constituents in the Federal Electorate of Richmond were consulted as to whether they support a Yes vote?
They’re about to be consulted when the referendum happens. In the meantime anyone can organise to campaign for a particular outcome without everyone agreeing. Eg, we have Liberals for yes without all Liberals agreeing. We can have Richmond for yes without needing everyone’s approval. It’s called freedom of expression.
A friend of mine is very involved with the planning of a “yes” campaign centred on the municipality. The local MP (federal) is on the planning committee as are any candidates from previous elections who were interested. The one thing they have religiously avoided is giving the campaign any political slant by any association with any party politics. Their aim is the a referendum outcome first and foremost.
Why? They aren’t even listening to the Aboriginals. In WA, NT, and QLD, our Aboriginals are saying they don’t want some mob of mostly white aboriginals in Canberra making decisions for them. The left is finding that Aboriginals aren’t the obedient pets they imagine them to be.
and whilst there is a number of Indigenous voting No, how can any empathetic non-indigenous Australian vote Yes against mob voting No?
Do we still think we know better?
I wish I had the answers.
That’s the reason for the referendum.
The current Prime Minister made it very clear during the 2022 election campaign that he would hold a referendum on this issue if the ALP won the election. The majority of Richmond constituents, and others around the country, voted for people who supported First Nations People and the ‘YES’ vote at the 2022 election. They did NOT vote for the LNP’s divisive, dishonest ‘NO’ campaign.
The ‘Voice to Parliament’ is somethig First Nations People have worked hard for for many years. After 230+ years of brutality and dispossesion they deserve recognition in our racist (and sexist) constitution, and the support of all Australians who live privileged lives on land stolen from people who had lived here for at least 60,000 years.
Nope and neither were the mobs
THE ONLY ONES WHOM SHOULD BE VOTING ARE ALL THE ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF AUSTRALIA. THATS IT PERIOD!
Why should we, the majority get to decide for them the minority?
Have all tribes been asked is this actually what they want?
I asked out at Murwillumbah a few weeks ago, has anyone from the Government come and asked you what you want? No, no no. Absolutely zero effen consultation with the tribes
The money never reaches the rural mobs, how about saying NO, and giving them the money spent on this useless referendum that seems to have no good intentions at all. As Australian citizens, they and we are already in the constitution.
It would appear to garner a YES vote, a lot of money is being spent to BUY that vote. If you’re a business guess what, you get a tax break for voting YES, you don’t if you vote NO. COMPLETELY DEMOCRATIC, NOT!
Of course Pzifer is completely on board supporting the YES vote, giving money for the YES vote. Why? What’s an international Big Pharma company got to do with our Governance for our people? Should be obvious by now, we are owned, controlled and steered, by outside forces.
It’s all Political theatre, wasting precious resources that never reach those in need.
The money never reaches the rural mobs, how about saying NO, and giving them the money spent on this useless referendum that seems to have no good intentions at all.
Are they considered citizens of Australia, yes of course and as such are already under the constitution like the rest of us.
‘Why should we, the majority get to decide for them the minority?’, because that’s how democracy works. That’s why we have republics and Constitutional Monarchies. You really don’t want to live in a Democracy. They don’t last long.
Aboriginal people from all around Australia have asked for the Voice to Parliament, of course there’ll be some who disagree, just as white people don’t agree on everything. We still spend $368 BILLION on submarines regardless of how many people disagree.
First Nations people are not ‘under the constituion’, that’s why a referendum must be held to change the constitution. The constitution was put together by a bunch of not-too-bright old white men who left women out as well.
When so many billions of taxpayers’ money have been wasted on rorts and pork barrelling, spending money on an important change to the RASCIST constitution is NOT A WASTE!!
Just as the sky didn’t fall in when the Native Title Legislation was introduced, even though we were told it would, the rest of us will not be affected by this legislation.
We just need shut up, stop spreading misinformation and do the right thing for once.
Northern Territory Barunga festival just finished – it commemorates the bark Petition sent to the Feds 35 years ago calling for recognition of Aboriginal people, and the mob putting on the event are soundly in support of the Referendum . Many of the NT Aboriginal land Councils Reps also attended and ALL were in support of the Voice Referendum. The white people above alleging that Aboriginal people, or most Aboriginal people, dont support the Referendum, are incorrect – stats indicate 80% do. Yes there are some, and some very prominent Aboriginals, who have come out in opposition – I presume those that think that that is overly significant have never sat on any committee
Stats from the Senate indicate that over half the people who identify as Aboriginal, don’t have a single native ancestor, e.g. Bruce Pascoe. Also, most people aren’t inclined to go to festivals promoting political stuff they don’t agree with, as American Football found out.
…and also, youtube: ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart signatories ‘unhappy’ with Indigenous voice to parliament (Interview)’