Yes, please.

Australia is not real. Its land, its rivers, its potoroos and its people are real. But Australia is a story. Australia the nation we think of today didn’t exist when my own grandfather, my dad’s dad, was born in 1898 – just two lifetimes ago. Australia the story was made up with Federation in 1901. Before that it was just colonies, whose railway gauges didn’t even match. And before that, well, before that were more than 60,000 years of continuous Indigenous life and culture in this land. That’s over 800 lifetimes – too many to even imagine. The oldest on the entire planet and still going.

And yet, in the Constitution that was written to set the foundation for this new nation in 1901, Indigenous people weren’t even mentioned. In a way, it’s no surprise, given the British Government had claimed possession of the east coast back in 1770 under the myth of terra nullius – uninhabited land. (Who were those muskets aimed at, then?) But sovereignty of the land was never ceded by Indigenous people. There was no Treaty of Waitangi here. Apparently there was no one around to make a treaty with…

So now with this referendum we have the rare opportunity to set things right. From the moment we are born, we crave being seen – our survival depends on it. Recognition. It may be symbolic. But all human psychology, culture and connection is built on symbols. The Collingwood football jumper is just material in black and white stripes. But it means so much and connects so many people – just look at the MCG this Saturday.

And to be heard – to have a Voice – is more than symbolism. A voice gives you a sense of agency, empowerment, autonomy. It underpins so much of human well-being. And it promises the opportunity for real change, real improvement in the lives of real Indigenous people. Will it work? Who knows? But whatever we’re doing now plainly isn’t working – the gap is not closing – so why not give it a go? We have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

So, what is the ask, really, in this referendum? To be seen, fully. And to be heard, finally.

I think of the referendum question as like a hand outstretched, vulnerable with goodwill. We can slap it away in fear. Or we can grasp it and pull it in for a warm, long overdue embrace.

How will we write the next chapter of this Australian story?

#Yes23 #referendum23 #Voice23 #australia #firstnations

Read about the referendum from a non-partisan human rights perspective here:

https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/page/voice_referendum_-_understanding_the_referendum_from_a_human_rights_perspective_pdf.pdf

Read the beautiful and generous Uluru Statement from the Heart here:

https://voice.gov.au/about-voice/uluru-statement

Or listen to what it feels like by the genius Thelma Plum here:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1c5iUY7Zg1SxtROg1yr5ad?si=7f3847c69b14466c