Voice referendum 'yes' supporters walk in Dubbo

On Thursday, September 14, dozens of Voice supporters took to the streets in Dubbo to encourage the community to vote 'Yes' on the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum.

The walk was organised by Tatum Moore, chief executive officer of the Dubbo Local Aboriginal Land Council.

"I'm 39 weeks pregnant, I'm supposed to be on bed rest. But this is just too important," she told the Daily Liberal.

"You'll see more of this happening. Every week the number of volunteers is growing. People want to be involved, they want to help get the word out there."

After the walk, the group gathered in Victoria Park to hear from guest speakers about the Uluru Statement From The Heart, why they are voting for the Voice and answer questions from the community.

"I was born in 1940 here in the country. When I was growing up we didn't have a say, the old people didn't have a say. You just did what you were told by mission managers," Wiradjuri elder Narelle Boys told the crowd.

"We need our children to be heard, and our grandchildren, not like it used to be where you had to be silent and just take what was handed to us."

Also speaking on the day was Rod Towney, a Wiradjuri man born in Wellington at Nanima Reserve and one of the signatories of Uluru Statement From the Heart.

"Australia is the only country in the world as far as I'm aware that has not got its indigenous peoples in the constitution, shame on our government," he said.

"This is what the Voice is about. We need to be documented in the founding document of Australia."

Mr Towney said he supports the Voice as it would give Indigenous people a say on issues impacting their own communities. He said some of the areas where outcomes for Indigenous people continue to fall behind the general population are health, education and incarceration.

"We have so many riches in this country and yet many of our peoples across the nation live in third and fourth world conditions," he said.

"To see a lot of our young people locked away for things that I was told that white people wouldn't be locked away for is totally disgusting and that needs to change.

"We have lots of issues with our health. We have an education which is failing our people, there are many good teachers but the policies are failing us and they continue to fail us. Housing is disgusting.

"Things are going wrong because people are not listening to us, they need to listen to our voices. This is what the Voice is all about."

Dubbo councillor Pam Wells, a Tubba-Gah woman, also spoke in support of the Voice. With enrolments closing on Monday, September 18, she encouraged the community to sign up to vote if they haven't already.

"What we're trying to do today is encourage people to understand the importance of voting," she said.

"The importance of embedding our voice in the constitution and ensuring that First Nations people have the ability to work with the government on matters that affect First Nations people.

"Because isn't that the right thing to do?"

The Voice referendum will be held on October 14.

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