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03-07-2023
Bureau Report + Agencies
MELBOURNE/ SYDNEY: Thousands of people have rallied in cities and towns across Australia to back a campaign to recognize the country’s Indigenous people in the constitution in advance of a referendum later this year.
The gatherings on Sunday, organized by the Yes23 campaign, were part of a nationwide “day of action” to rally the public after a recent dip in support for the constitutional change.
The proposal, which will be put up for a referendum between October and December, seeks to establish an advisory body, the Indigenous Voice to Parliament to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a direct say in policies that affect them.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor government backs the change, while the opposition Liberal-National conservatives urge a “No” vote.
On Sunday, an Australian Council of Social Service tweet showed Sydney rally attendees in T-shirts with the words “Vote Yes” and caps with the words “The Uluru Statement”, referring to a key document that calls for an Indigenous Voice.
Yes23, the group behind more than 25 rallies nationwide, said the crowd in Sydney was about 3,000 and that it expected up to 25,000 people to participate in total.
“These community events are opportunities for people to come together and gain valuable information about the importance of a successful referendum later this year,” Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin said in a statement.
The day of action comes after support for the referendum appeared to be ebbing according to a poll last month, which showed “No” ahead for the first time, 51 percent to 49 percent.
Fred Pascoe, director of the Gulf Regional Economic Aboriginal Trust, told media, the referendum was critical for Indigenous rights in Australia.
