The heroic and courageous efforts of locals who took to their boats and saved lives and communities in the 2022 flood will never be forgotten.
We look to our governments for support and assistance at such times yet, as the Flood Inquiry found, the official rescue and recovery effort was not up to scratch.
If locals have a proper and enduring voice, outcomes are much better because simply, locals know best about matters that affect them.
This principle is what the referendum on October 14 is all about. First Nations people deserve to be heard about matters that affect their life outcomes. This basic and fundamental principle should not be subject to the whim of governments to chop and change. It belongs to the people. That is why it belongs in the Constitution, which only the people can change.
We can do this by voting ‘Yes’ to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a Voice.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
