By YES23 supporter Jeremy Lasek
"If not now, then when?"
Legendary broadcaster and journalist Kerry O’Brien posed this question to a packed lunch crowd at Diggers Club in Wollongong last week as the debate over the referendum for The Voice enters its final days.
Kerry pulled no punches in his keynote address to a large group of business and community members, admitting after "sitting on the fence" during his 55-year journalism career, on the issue of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament he could sit on the fence no more.
"Part of the reason I’m doing what I’m doing now is that when I wake up on the 15th of October (the day after the referendum) I’ll know I’ve done whatever I can to convince Australians of the need for change."
Kerry recalled when he voted ‘Yes’ in the 1967 referendum as a much younger man.
"There wasn’t a great deal of information or knowledge around at that time, yet it was the biggest vote in a referendum in Australia’s history. What an irony when you consider how the current debate has been railroaded by conspiracy theorists.
"There’s an intellectual bankruptcy about the No campaign. It’s a fundamentally dishonest campaign.
"To the people who intend to vote No, I ask, 'What is your solution to closing the gap?' They’ve come up with nothing of substance."
Growing rise of racism
Kerry said he’d been especially alarmed at the growing levels of racism which had surfaced during the referendum debate.
"The racism we’re seeing and hearing is undeniable. Prejudice does come out when we’re confronted by difference. How many in this room have been at the receiving end of racism? I haven’t. Yet I know some in this room have, and I can’t for a minute put myself in their shoes.
"Racism is the single greatest evil that humanity is capable of when it’s exploited, and that’s happening right now."
Busting the myths and lies
The former broadcaster took a baseball bat to the many myths and lies being put forward by the leaders of the No campaign.
He described as "absurd and abhorrent" Warren Mundine’s claim that the Uluru Statement from the Heart was "symbolic of a declaration of war on modern Australia".
Waving a pocket-sized version of the Constitution, Kerry said the proposed changes to the document were so small and caused no threat to anyone.
He compared the process for the creation of the original Constitution more than 120 years ago with the proposed changes being considered right now, the result of many years of consultation involving thousands of First Nations People representing hundreds of communities across Australia.
"There’s been more consultation and discussion for this small amendment to the Constitution than what happened when our founding fathers wrote the whole original Constitution."
The Voice Design Principles
Kerry said that while the No campaign seemed determined to try to win the debate with its scare campaign, the team supporting Yes was reminding open-minded Australians what the Design Principles of the Voice entailed.
"There’s nothing scary about this," he said. And he said those who complained that they don’t have enough detail, he suggested these eight dot points that make up the Design Principles are all people need to know.
- The Voice will give independent advice to the Parliament and Government.
- It will be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people based on the wishes of local communities.
- It will be representative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, gender balance and include youth.
- It will be empowering, community-led inclusive, respectful and culturally informed.
- It will be accountable and transparent.
- It will work alongside existing organisations and traditional structures.
- It will not have a program delivery function.
- It will not have veto power.
Panel discussion
He said these principles all seemed very reasonable and totally transparent and wouldn’t result in any Australian being worse off.
The lunchtime event included an informative panel discussion and Q&A featuring UOW-based researcher and Gamilaroi woman Catherine Moyle; the past president of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Terry Weatherall; and proud Dharug woman Karen Iles, a director and principal solicitor at Viloet Co Legal & Consulting.
The panel methodically and systematically debunked the many myths being floated as ‘fact’ by the No campaign as out and out lies.
The panellists reminded us of the misinformation spread and doom and gloom predictions if the plebiscite for same sex marriage was successful six years ago. History has shown Australia voted overwhelmingly in support of marriage equality and the sun still came up the next morning.
UOW rallies in support of Yes
The University of Wollongong has been one of the biggest supporters of the Yes campaign in this region and it has hosted two significant events to demonstrate its level of support.
In a demonstration of unity and solidarity, hundreds of students and staff gathered on the lawns of the campus to form a giant human YES, followed by a rally urging everyone to maintain the momentum and continue the conversations in support of The Voice.
At UOW’s Woolyungah yarning circle, a smoking ceremony brought together volunteers from the Yes campaign with local Aboriginal people, providing an opportunity for a better shared understanding of how important the 14 October referendum is. Smoking ceremonies have been conducted on Country for thousands of years to bring about spiritual and physical cleansing and to ward off bad spirits.
Woolyungah’s Jaymee Beveridge said the event was also an opportunity to thank the hundreds of volunteers in the Illawarra who had done "the heavy lifting" during the referendum campaign.
Guest of honour at the ceremony was the 2023 Australian of the Year Local Hero, Amar Singh, who is finishing a 25,000-kilometre journey around Australia drumming up support for The Voice from the multicultural community.
Amar said with almost half of Australians having a parent born overseas, the vote of multicultural Australians in the referendum could prove significant.
Paddle for Yes
On Wollongong Harbour, volunteer Sharon Callaghan organised a Paddle for Yes, bringing together 30 people on kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.
"The YES 23 volunteer community and other allies were keen to make a public statement about voting YES to show ordinary people passing by," Sharon said.
"I often think about how being on still water, and in nature, allows time to think and share deeper conversations in that unique, quiet natural environment.
"It seemed fitting to Paddle for Yes, as listening and having good conversations is what the Voice to Parliament has at its heart."
What’s ahead for the Yes campaign?
- Thursday, 5 October from 1-2pm @ Wollongong Library. Learn more about The Voice referendum with UOW researcher Catherine Moyle.
- Friday, 6 October from 3-5pm @ The Illawarra Hotel, Social Impact in the Pub. Topic: the 2023 Referendum. Featuring Craig Osborne of RMB Lawyers, Ben Tillman from Yours and Owls and Caitlin Mackie from Easy Agile.
- Sunday, 8 October from 8am @ North Wollongong Beach, Aerobics for Yes.
- Sunday, 8 October from 9am @ North Wollongong Beach, Beach Meet for Yes.
About the writer
Jeremy Lasek has many decades of experience in media, marketing, events and PR. His career began in the Illawarra with the Lake Times, ABC Radio and WIN-TV. For eight years Jeremy was news director for WIN in Canberra and was national news director before joining the National Capital Authority as head of media and events. Jeremy was executive director of ACT Government Communications, Events, Arts, Heritage and Protocol for many years, was Chief of Staff to the ACT Chief Minister and had responsibility for the Centenary of Canberra celebrations in 2013. Before returning to Wollongong, Jeremy was CEO of the National Australia Day Council (including the Australian of the Year Awards) and head of communications for the Australian Federal Police. He’s currently volunteering on the YES23 campaign.
