The Referendum and Voting yes.
Our 2023 Chapter voted in favour of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Support for the Yes vote, Leo Wearden and Wadeye
Why I am voting Yes, Pat Walsh (who shared many years of his life with us, at Monivae, many decades supporting Timor Leste righs)
Others will have their own good reasons for deciding to vote Yes or No on 14 October 2023 regarding a Constitutional Indigenous Voice to decision-makers in Canberra. I will be voting Yes, because:
- it is a small way to repay the Indigenous peoples of the Western District of Victoria for the benefits I have enjoyed from their dispossession;
- it is a request that has been made to me by respected Indigenous leaders like Senator Pat Dodson, a former colleague, who has the best interests of his people and Australia at heart;
- it will allow Indigenous leaders to take responsibility and partner with government to rectify over time the deep problems troubling their people;
- it will enhance Australia’s international reputation and make advocacy for victims of human rights in other countries more compelling;
- it is a golden opportunity to further develop our unique story, identity and place in the world and will not materially disadvantage other Australians.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Statement on the Voice – May 2023
Australia’s bishops are urging Catholics to engage with the Uluru Statement from the Heart as the country prepares for a crucial vote on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. The bishops believe that rectifying the omission of acknowledging First Nations Peoples’ custodianship of the land in the Constitution is essential. They encourage all Australians to educate themselves on the proposal and engage in meaningful debate.
