This referendum will be my second opportunity to vote in one. I feel that I am privileged to be in this position. It's not that I don't think state and federal elections are important; I know they are. But I feel that referendums are even more important, and this particular one the most important in more half a century. On October 14, I have a genuine, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not just to decide to vote yes or no, but to participate, along with millions of other Australians, in something that could change Australia; not only for the better, but for all time.
I am the grandchild of four people born overseas. My maternal grandmother and grandfather were born in Italy, my paternal grandfather in Poland, and my Nana in Russia. Soon after they came to Australia, they were able to become citizens. And while they waited, they were treated like one. Yes, they experienced some racism, but they were never refused entry to a hotel because of their race. Their life expectancy didn't immediately drop by nine years. Their prospects of ending up in prison did not suddenly increase markedly.. People assumed they were educated, even when they struggled to speak the language. When they worked, they were paid. Security guards did not follow them around in shops, making sure they didn't steal anything. They weren't regularly stopped by the police whilst driving for 'license checks'. And not once did they ever fear that their children might one day be stolen from them.
There is a simple truth in Australia that many of us would prefer to ignore, and that is that whilst we might be one country, we are not one peoples. Why? Because we are not all treated the same. Different assumptions and different attitudes have created a culture of inequitable treatment. Those who came to Australia from challenging parts of the world - as have so many who've fled poverty or war - likely faced some degree of disadvantage or discrimination, but nothing on the scale that Indigenous Australians have endured. The grandchild of migrants such as myself are equal to other Australians, not just legally, but in terms of opportunity. Since the arrival of Europeans, more than twenty generations have passed, and Aboriginal people have still not attained the same position of opportunity that came to me in just two. Because it was denied to them. Again, and again, and again.
Aboriginal people - the first Australians - should be first among equals, but instead they are last. There have been many attempts over the years to improve their lives and realities, but progress has been frustratingly slow. And it swings back and forth depending on the political landscape. Both sides of politics say they offer bipartisan support for the plan to 'close the gap' between white and black Australia. What we have now is a real opportunity to put this to the test: to listen with our hearts to a statement from the heart.
Most of the doubt and uncertainty around the voice stems from fears that it will do too much - that it will have too much power and influence - or that it will do too little. This isn't really what the voice is about. It's not about doing or not doing; it's about listening.
The voice will compel the federal government to listen to the concerns and opinions of Aboriginal people. That's it. That's what it does. What happens next remains in the hands of the politicians we elect, as it always has and always will. If the voice does too little, it will be the politicians who are responsible. But at least we will know what they've chosen to ignore.
Will the voice give Aboriginal people too much influence? My response to that question is - compared to what? Australians (and former Australians) who own newspapers and television stations? To the CEOs of airlines? To mining companies and banking executives? No, I don't think it will. The primary means of achieving political influence in Australia is money, and Aboriginal Australians have very little, because the opportunities for wealth accumulation were denied to them for decades. It will take decades and decades more for enough Indigenous peoples to reach a position that will afford them the voice that money can buy. I simply do not believe we can afford to wait that long, both morally and practically. Aboriginal Australia has been held back for more than two centuries. And the longer we wait to rectify this, the more will be lost. We must act decisively whilst we still can.
Many Aboriginal peoples - particularly those still leading traditional lifestyles connected to country, culture and language - will never take a seat in a boardroom or a parliamentary chamber. That is simply not their world. But their voices are vital, their perspectives unique. We must find a way to ensure they are heard, respected, and valued. Our political system - like our legal system - benefits some more than others. And whilst we cannot fix everything, we have a chance - this one chance - to fix something. To ensure those who've been on the margins of Australia for more than two centuries are finally given access to the decision-making process that determines their lives. How can we, after all this time, possibly deny them this?
When I've had the chance to speak with Aboriginal people or to listen to them, I've always come away with new knowledge or new insight. I've learned about cultural identity and racial disadvantage, about kinship and integrational trauma. Even when the things I hear are painful, I want to learn more. I want to hear more. I feel that Aboriginal culture and history is a gift. Selfishly, I want the ability to access that gift for all time. I don't want any politicians with their own agendas to be able to take it away, as has happened before, when the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was abolished in 2005. Because I firmly believe that if we forge a strong connection between Indigenous Australia and non-Indigenous Australia, our nation becomes richer. It becomes older. It becomes wiser.
I know many of you are older than I am (no offence intended; I promise!) which means you've likely seen (and still see) a good deal of Aboriginal Australia through very different eyes than mine. With that in mind, I tell you this. The support for the voice to parliament for people under 40 is close to 65%, and for under 25s it's even higher. Two generations of Australians wants very much. Please, give us the chance to make things better, not just for Aboriginal Australia, but Australia. If we fail, we fail, but don't take away our chance to put something in place that we feel could make a real difference. And given the state of things at the moment, is there really, truly anything that ought not be tried?
The voice of a previous generation, Bob Dylan, once told senators not to block up the hall, and for people not to criticise what they don't understand. He believed - he hoped - that the times were a changing. This is our time to make change. Please choose to stand with me on October 14 and make it happen.
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