The “week of action” for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament kicked off in the ethnically diverse hub of Sydney’s Inner West with the Prime Minister proclaiming “do not miss this opportunity”.
Surrounded by hundreds of locals, including many members of the migrant communities, Mr Albanese urged Australians to take part in conversations on the upcoming referendum, which is due to take place between October and December this year.
The Greek community made its strong presence known at the event. «Η Φωνή στη Βουλή» was written on a placard held by Greek-Australian Councillor of Inner West Council Zoi Tsardoulias, who was photographed proudly next to the PM.
Among the attendees, Neos Kosmos noted the president of “Atlas” League, Dr Michael Kottis, Vice-President of the Hellenic Club of Sydney, Mr Bill Kritharas, Ms Theodora Minas-Gianniotis, Outreach and Engagement Officer of the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens and International Liaison Officer of the International Organising Committee-Australia for the Restitution of the Parthenon Sculptures, and other members of our community.
The Inner West Council organised a BBQ on Saturday February 18 which saw numerous volunteers set up shop at Petersham Park to raise awareness of what is being voted for in the upcoming referendum, while also offering free sausages and drinks.
Mr Albanese addressed the hundreds in attendance, citing the Uluru Statement From the Heart which outlines the way to formally ‘recognise’ First Nations people in the Constitution.
“I love the poetry of the Uluru Statement from of the Heart that says ‘In 1967, we were counted. Now we seek to be heard’ and you have that opportunity,” the Prime Minister said.
Linda Burney, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, stressed the significance in giving local communities the chance to actively engage and learn about this topic ahead of the referendum.
“This is the first day of the week of action and powerful community demonstrations are not only important to keep you motivated and moving but they are also important for the community because it gives them some way of actually participating and I think that’s the real power of it,” Ms Burney told Neos Kosmos.
“I hope events like these can get the message out that the Voice is about two things: consultation and recognition. Recognition of 65, 000 years which is our shared story and talking to First Nations people about what should happen in the Parliament that is going to change life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.”
Mr Albanese made what seemed to be a retort to the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, who had on Friday said the referendum was on track to fail, blaming the Prime Minister for a “conscious decision” to withhold detail.
“For those people of privilege in the parliament, they are participants not observers,” Albanese said.
Mayor for Inner West Council Darcy Byrne referred in his address to former PM Paul Keating’s famous speech at Redfern in 1993 wherein he stated reconciliation required imagination from non-Indigenous people to understand the feeling of colonisation and dispossession.
“It’s time to get creative about how we will reach out into every suburb and town to spread the word about this unique opportunity to ennoble our nation,” Mr Byrne said.
In addition to the political representatives, Aunty Pat Anderson, co-author of the Uluru Statement From the Heart also made a brief speech saying the referendum was “probably the most significant thing that all of us are going to do.”
