Voice 'yes' campaign builds momentum in Wollongong

The Wollongong Yes23 campaign now has more than 300 volunteers and the city's 2023 Citizen of the Year, who serves on the local movement's organising committee, is among them.

Ms Stevenson said it was a "stain on our history and our national character" that Australia did not recognise First Nations people in the constitution.

Read more: 'History and justice are calling to us': Why Wollongong leaders are voting 'yes' to Voice

"It's beyond time that stain was removed," she said.

Referencing former Prime Minister Paul Keating's 1992 Redfern speech, Ms Stevenson said "we stole their children, we stole their land" so it was up to non-Indigenous Australians to right the wrongs.

"It shouldn't be the burden of Aboriginal communities to push for this - it's our burden," she said.

Ms Stevenson said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were still not heard in Australia and this was reflected in the life expectancy gap and higher rates of poverty and incarceration.

"It's now time their voices are heard and this is the mechanism they've asked us to enact," she said.

The community as a whole, Ms Stevenson said, could only be enriched by voting "yes" to enshrining an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice in the constitution.

"I am encouraged by the growing community commitment to make this happen," she said.

At July's launch of the Wollongong "yes" campaign, Ms Stevenson called on the city to deliver the highest "yes" vote in Australia.

Read more: Vietnam War apology welcome, but doesn't fix past wrongs

On Sunday, August 20 local volunteers will begin door-knocking in Woonona, with plans to progressively talk to people in other suburbs.

Volunteers have also established a presence at the weekly Crown Street Markets on Fridays and will be attending various events in the lead-up to the referendum, and Ms Stevenson and fellow campaigner Jeremy Lasek invite anyone seeking more information to talk to them.

Referencing the opposing campaign's slogan of "if you don't know, vote no", Mr Lasek said: "If you don't know, find out".

Numerous individuals and institutions have pledged support for "yes" - including the University of Wollongong and Wollongong City Council - and now Ms Stevenson and Mr Lasek are encouraging businesses to become vocal too.

"We call upon the business leaders to join us in this endeavour," Ms Stevenson said.

The Voice would be an independent, permanent advisory body - comprised of and chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - that would give advice to parliament the government on legislation and policy affecting the lives of Indigenous Australians.

As a proposed change to the constitution, a referendum must be held.

The referendum will ask: "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?"

To pass, a majority of voters nationally must vote yes AND a majority of voters in at least four of the six states must vote yes.

If the referendum is successful, the following wording will be added to the constitution:

"Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

The referendum will be held between October and December.

Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.