On Thursday 14th November 2024, I attended an event hosted by the Boroondara Reconciliation Network. This event titled an ‘Evening with Thomas Mayo’ was exactly that. It was an opportunity from the community to meet Thomas Mayo and to hear his journey through the Voice to Parliament Referendum held last year.
I attended as I was generally interested in this topic. Our country went through significant debate with each side actually suffered loss.
A brief background
There are others, who can provide a detailed and more accurate account of the brief history of the pathways from the Uluru Statement from the Heart to the Voice Referendum.
In speaking to my own understanding, there were really two campaigns, however in my own observations that was not a discrete group for those who voted No
- Yes – Strong advocates for Constitutional Change for a Voice to Parliament by first nations Australians.
- No – Wanted change, however was there a different way
- No – Constitutional Conservatives that were not going to accept the plan presented by the Albanese Labor Government.
The Yes campaign lost the vote for a Voice to Parliament. This was the focus of this campaign as part of a wider push for the adoption of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Overall the Yes vote got a national vote of ~40% and not winning any states which are both an entry criteria for acceptance of constitutional change.
The No campaign won in comparison, however as a whole we all lost as being a divided country on this issue, and paralysed in advocating for a meaningful solution going forward.
Whilst this is my own opinion, the result from this referendum will playout at the next Federal Election between now any May 2025. Communities like Kooyong who overwhelmingly voted Yes they will likely to be looking for a local representative to support their view and to still advocate strongly for some form of recognition. This will rank strongly amongst other issues.
My Own truth
I would not normally express how I have voted in elections, however this was a significant change for our nation where many people, residents and voters have such a strong view. I did in fact voted Yes.
I did not vote Yes for that very strong desire to enact all the pillars in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, I am still learning to understand what they are.
I voted Yes however noting that it was time that we had to do something. We need to provide both a statement of acknowledgement as First Australians were indeed the traditional owners of the land we occupy, and we do owe it to give them a voice. We had stripped them of a voice since the time of British Settlement and it has taken too long of overwrite a wrong from long ago.
I also agree that we should not codify in our constitution a set of rights for a group of people that other people cannot have. In my view this was, and is different. We actively used the constitution to repress a group of Australians in expressing their voice, about their communities. It would be only fair to provide just compensation for the time they voice was not allowed to be heard.
Constitutional change is hard and it does and should require a unified community, a nation who wants this change. However these solutions can still be achieved via an act of Parliament.
What is next?
In hearing from Mr Mayo, there is recognition that another vote for constitutional recognition will not be achieved within our generation, it might occur in generations into our future. However the cause must continue.
In my own opinion, we do need to have an open conversation. We need a conversation that is not wrapped around our political colours. This issue is and should always remains above politics. It is only we can reach this point, we can discuss the change we truly need.
I have purchased Mr Mayo’s book ‘Always Was Always Will Be‘ I will be reading this over the following week.
