In March this year Neos Kosmos led by calling on Greek Australians to vote ‘yes’ in the referendum for a First Nations Voice to Parliament.

This was not an ideological decision we took, nor was it aligned to any particular side of politics.

We saw it as “an historic opportunity to redress injustices”, something which all sides of politics, and most people in this country, have agreed upon for decades.

Politicians on both sides of parliament have been working on a framework to deliver change. Each successive government has formed a committee to report back on a solution, and to specifically provide a ‘voice’ for First Nations people.

Sadly, the campaign has been politicised by party’s either preaching to their base with ‘feel good’ emotion or by creating fear of the ‘unknown’ which spiralled into unfounded speculation.

In our own community a common argument for those who say they will vote ‘no’ has been that it will be only a ‘first step’ towards giving up our land, reparations and that it creates inequality and a racial divide.

It is important to note that this is not about race, we are all one human race, but about indigenous people and that nations across the globe from Norway to the U.S.A have a form of recognition in their constitutions or treaties with their indigenous people.

When Australia last held a referendum to become a republic, it failed because doubt was placed over the detail of the preferred model, despite the fact that the majority of Australians believed in a republic.

To avoid the same fate, this government decided to simplify the question and not provide detail on the model, and to allow parliament to decide.

The question to be put to the Australian people at the 2023 referendum will be:

“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

Voters must answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

The simplicity of the question opened it up for doubters, with the politics of ‘No’ able to create fear of the unknown.

The reason Neos Kosmos supports a vote for ‘Yes’ in Saturday’s referendum is because the status quo on Indigenous affairs must end. We need to close the gap in health and life prospects between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and end the mismanagement of Indigenous affairs by bureaucrats and politicians. Better solutions can only be reached by listening to First Nations people.

A ‘Voice’ enshrined in the constitution, is just that, a voice, an advisory body to parliament, it would not be an executive body which could make any decisions.

The parliament and government of the day will make decisions, just like they do now, sometimes good, sometimes not so good.

Politicians can take the advice to hopefully make better decisions, unlike now where we often waste money on well-meaning but flawed programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

First Nations people also need to be recognised in our political structures. Most nations around the world have achieved this, albeit in different forms, from New Zealand, Canada, United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Ecuador, Brazil, Norway, Finland and so on.

So, what are we afraid of? We are mature enough as a nation to take this step.

Vote ‘Yes’ so we can move on as a nation whilst finding better solutions for First Nations people.