Community support for the ‘Yes’ campaign for the upcoming referendum on the First Peoples Voice to Federal Parliament is gaining momentum.
One local ‘Yes’ group of 30 gathered at the Phee Broadway foyer on Saturday, July 8 to hold an initial meeting and open the conversation about the campaign and how local residents would like to show their support.
The second gathering at the same location last Saturday, July 15 saw 45 locals turn out and commit to a range of initiatives such as coordinating media and social media campaigns, kitchen table conversations, street stalls, and listening posts.
The Mail understands there are several active ‘Yes’ groups in Castlemaine and also groups of supporters that have popped up at Maldon, Newstead, and Campbells Creek.
Local Reconciliation Victoria and Australians for Native Title (ANTAR) representative Vic Say said their goal is to spread information about the referendum so community members can make an informed choice.
“All opinions are welcome and not everyone will be in support. But it is important that people are able to make their decision based on facts and not on some of the nonsense which we see being circulated, particularly on social media,” Mr Say said.
A local advocate Mr Say is a passionate supporter of the Voice because there are a wide array of groups that support the interests of Australians such as the Farmers Federation, the Australian Business Council of Australia, and the Australian Council of Trade Unions, but First Nations Peoples don’t have such representation and therefore are often left out of important conversations on decisions and legislation which impacts them.
“Previous governments have selected trusted representatives of the First Nations community to speak on their behalf and this is positive. But these people don’t represent all Indigenous Australians. The Voice would represent First Nations people from all states and territories and regional and rural Australia,” he said.
The group’s next gathering will be at the Phee Broadway Foyer in Mechanics Lane Castlemaine on Saturday, July 29 at 12 noon. All are welcome. For more on the Yes campaign visit yes23.com.au