The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has reaffirmed his commitment to implementing the Uluru statement in full, saying “no one will be hurt by a yes vote in this referendum, but we have an opportunity to be lifted up”.
Asked by reporters if he still was committed to the Uluru statement in full, Albanese simply answered: “yes”.
The statement outlines a sequence starting with voice being enshrined in the constitution, followed by a Makarrata commission to oversee a process of treaty-making and truth-telling.
Arriving at the Garma site at Gulkula in north east Arnhem Land on Friday, Albanese’s first port of call was to meet with the Dilak Council, the senior cultural leaders of 13 Yolngu clan groups in the region.
Dilak is a formal decision-making body based on the clan leadership structure of the Miwatj region of northeast Arnhem Land, grounded in Yolngu law and formally recognised by the government.
Albanese described the council as a successful model of how a regional voice to government might operate. The Dilak council meets regularly with the federal and territory governments to set priorities and policies on health, housing, education and economic development.
He said the council are an example of “giving voices to Canberra”.
“Dilak is an example of … how we achieve better results, because we know when we listen to people that are directly affected by issues, we get better outcomes. That, as well as recognition in Australia’s constitution, is what the referendum that will be held in the last quarter of this year is about.”
In welcoming Albanese and members of Labor’s Indigenous caucus, including the Indigenous Australians minister, Linda Burney, to the meeting, Gumatj leader Djawa Yunupingu said the Dilak fully supported the yes vote.
“We [Dilak] are the voice for our future,” Yunupingu said. “We fully support the voice to parliament.”
Albanese said he “admired and paid tribute” to the Yolngu leaders for their patience around the referendum and said it was “not far off”.
The Garma festival began with a solemn and loving tribute to beloved Gumatj leader Yunupingu, whose vision over decades helped consolidate the festival as the premier national Indigenous gathering.
Gumatj clan dancers with bilma (clap sticks) and yidaki (didgeridu) sang family members, wearing bright yellow – the Gumatj clan colours – into the forum. Yunupingu’s children carried a photograph of him which they placed at the podium.
This is the first festival without him, but organisers said they will carry his legacy to keep working to a better future for Yolngu, while holding on to the knowledge of the past.
“Whilst he was cajoling PMs and ministers, his real job was the family and the future,” lawyer Sean Bowden said in introducing the children of Dhupuma Barker school who sang for a delighted crowd.
The school helped realise a long-held vision of Yunupingu – that children could receive a two-way quality education on country.
Garma began in 1999 to elevate Yolngu voices, culture and worldview to the world. This year’s theme is Djambatj, a Yolngu word meaning brilliance, or excellence.
