A word on The Voice from Julian Leeser
Liberal MP Julian Leeser is a strong advocate of voting “Yes” for The Voice. Here’s why.
From Julian Leeser:
Julian Leeser
On Saturday, 14 October, Australians will be given the opportunity to complete our Constitution. It will be a serious moment in our country’s history – and, I hope, a unifying moment as well.
I am genuinely optimistic about the campaign ahead.
I believe Australians will vote for a better future.
At the polling booth, Australians are being asked to consider “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”
As former Chief Justice of Australia, Robert French, has written, “The Voice is a big idea but not a complicated one. It is low risk for a high return”. I agree with the former Chief Justice.
At a referendum, there are no parties on the ballot paper, nor candidates, there is only an idea on the ballot paper.
The idea is to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the Constitution.
Recognition is the foundation for reconciliation. This referendum offers more than symbolism, it creates a space in our national and community life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to be heard.
I believe the risk at this referendum is not change, but the risk lies in more of the same. The same-old same-old has delivered for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians:
- Chronic ill-health – with Aboriginal people, on average, living eight years less than other Australians.
- Widespread unemployment – with the Indigenous unemployment rate being nine times higher than what other Australians face.
- Poverty – with one in two Indigenous Australians living below the poverty line.
- Homelessness – with one in five Indigenous households living in accommodation notmeeting an acceptable standard.
- A lack of safety for women and children. In NSW, an Indigenous woman is 30 times morelikely to present at a hospital with injuries from violence than other Australian women.
- Lack of opportunity – with Indigenous boys in this country more likely to go to jail than university.
On Saturday, 14 October, we can change this – by recognising Indigenous people in the Constitution, and by creating a body that will provide advice and help deliver better outcomes for Indigenous health, education, housing and jobs.
I am optimistic about the campaign ahead – and am looking forward to campaigning wherever and wherever I can.
Julian Leeser’s words are inspiring. I would like to vote for the Voice, but fail to understand why, when we have known for DECADES of his list of disadvantage suffered by our Indigenous community, the Ministry for Indigenous Affairs has done nothing to deal with these issues. I cannot understand why an additional bunch of people shouting the same things will help when we already have the knowledge, an INDIGENOUS minister and INDIGENOUS staff to eradicate the lack of equal opportunity.