Addressing a capacity crowd at Armidale town hall in the New South Wales New England region, Indigenous voice to parliament campaigner Thomas Mayo says the referendum in October is about “saying yes or no to the principle of recognition and listening to Indigenous people”.
“We need a voice,” he said. “We make vast improvements when we have the ability to come together and offer the solutions in a clear and concise way to the decision makers.”
The event stood in stark contrast to a no campaign event in Tamworth in April, which attracted protests from traditional owners and condemnation from the Australian race discrimination commissioner over the language used by one of the panellists, former Labor minister Gary Johns. There were no Indigenous speakers at the April event, whose panellists included local member Barnaby Joyce. Joyce’s electorate includes Armidale, but the university town skews more progressive.
Mayo, a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man and signatory to the Uluru Statement From the Heart, spoke about the history of Aboriginal voices to parliament going back more than a century, all of which he said had been “silenced”.
“That informs people about why we’re calling for a constitutionally enshrined voice,” he told the audience of more than 300.
The Armidale event on Anaiwan Country was organised by ANTaR Armidale (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation) and the Northern Tablelands Yes23 Campaign.
Retired fourth-generation Bingara graziers Wendy and John Wearne were among those who attended. They were seeking reinforcement on what they have already learned about the referendum, why they are voting yes and the implications.
“It’s been quite a negative campaign from some quarters in terms of misinformation and particularly with social media and some politicians,” Wendy said.
“It’s regretful that it hasn’t been a bipartisan approach in such an important issue of constitutional change.”
Mayo delivered a simple message about unity, borne of his long-term membership of the maritime workers’ union and his desire for better outcomes in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
“The reason I’m here is because I saw that nothing was working ... I was looking for how we could do things better,” he said.
Mayo paid tribute to the 150 Northern Tablelands yes campaign volunteers, before taking questions and comments from the floor.
Anaiwan/Gumbaynggirr woman Hazel Vale thanked Mayo for coming to Armidale.
“I went to a conference in Canberra because I was a sceptic about voting yes,” she said.
“There was a big First Nations women’s conference ... they had the who’s who of Indigenous women joining us. Linda Burney, Rachel Perkins and over 900 women from all across Australia.
“The voices were strong ... Aboriginal people, we are together now. We want our nation to come together.”
Attendee Mel Quigg asked Mayo about what was being done to explain the referendum to younger people, considering the gathering attracted predominantly older generations.
“The youth just get it,” Mayo said. “They say ‘Why would I come along to an event like this? Of course I’m voting yes’.”
Anaiwan/Kamilaroi elder Uncle Steve Widders, who gave a welcome to country, urged attendees to “talk to the people that you need to persuade about two things”.
“One, the actual question ... don’t look at everything, the peripheral stuff.”
He said people should read the Uluru Statement and “understand it is a plea to our fellow Australians to say we have tried for a voice before ... It was always knocked back.”
A member from the Ezidi population settled in Armidale asked how to approach non-English speaking communities, and offered to make a video explaining the referendum in his language.
Attendee Barry Moule questioned the need for non-Indigenous Australians to solve Indigenous problems.
“Indigenous people want to take responsibility for our lives,” Mayo said. “We want to take responsibility for our communities. We do take responsibility and that is why we have called for a constitutionally enshrined voice.”
Ngarrabul/Biripi/Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay/Kooma woman Waabii Chapman-Burgess of Glen Innes was unable to attend the event because it was booked out.
“Having a regional yes campaign in the Armidale area gives rural communities a chance to be informed and will encourage even more conversations with everyday people about the referendum,” she told Guardian Australia.
“I believe that the rural community will respond kindly after getting all the facts about the voice.”
John Wearne said he was more optimistic about the referendum than he was a month ago.
“I think the no case has probably spent their pennies in terms of putting the negativity up that they’ve got,” he said.
“I’ve just got a gut feeling that the yes campaign’s about to pick up ... I think the next six weeks will be absolutely crucial in driving the yes message home.”
• Michael Burge is a journalist and author based in Deepwater, New South Wales
