Ultramarathon runner and former politician Pat Farmer has arrived in Wollongong on his 14,400-kilometre run around the country to drum up support for the Voice to Parliament.
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Mr Farmer ran just over 61 kilometres from Campbelltown to Wollongong on Thursday, before finishing the day at Port Kembla - bringing his distance on the Run for the Voice so far to over 10,000 kilometres.
Surrounded by a few dozen 'yes' supporters outside the WIN Entertainment Centre, Mr Farmer spoke of the need to address the disadvantages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians faced in contrast to their non-Indigenous counterparts, from health outcomes to infrastructure.
The former Liberal MP for Macarthur said the Voice was a humanitarian issue.
"As it says in the Uluru Statement, let's walk together as one: as one people, as one nation, on into the future," he said.
"That's why I would like to think of my steps as symbolic of what the Uluru Statement is saying, what the Indigenous people of Australia have invited us to do, and that is to walk together throughout the future of this country, together as one."
Mr Farmer said the Voice would give Indigenous Australians a say in their own destiny, one they did not yet have.
"I cannot encourage you enough to talk to your friends, your neighbours, your children, anybody and everybody you possibly can, and tell them of the importance of this moment in time," he said.
Mr Farmer told the Mercury it was important to be greeted in Wollongong by Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery, because mayors had their finger on the pulse of their communities.
"I feel that Wollongong is a very forward-looking community, there's a lot of young people down here, and I'm finding they're the ones more in touch with the 'yes' vote," he said.
Among the crowd of 'yes' supporters who greeted Mr Farmer in was Dharawal and Yuin man, and Wollongong resident, Mark Bloxsome.
"Things have to get better, things have to improve," Mr Bloxsome said.
"I'm here on behalf of my parents, my parents' parents, all my ancestors who have struggled."
He said the Voice was the right mechanism for Indigenous people to have a say in policies and laws affecting them because while the community had elected members of parliament, they had to represent whole electorates.
"Our needs are no more or no greater, but our needs have been neglected," Mr Bloxsome said.
Fairy Meadow residents Fran and David Curtis were also among the welcoming party at WIN Entertainment Centre, because they wanted to support Mr Farmer's effort and the Voice.
"Pat Farmer is fantastic raising awareness for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament," Ms Curtis said.
Speaking to the crowd, Sallie Moffatt from Wollongong Yes23 campaign said she was voting 'yes' to listening, respecting, and recognising Indigenous Australians.
"I think it's safe to say that all of us here today want to join our hearts with [Mr Farmer's] and the 86 per cent of Indigenous men and women who, from their hearts, asked us to listen," she said.
Mr Farmer will set off from Port Kembla on Friday, August 25 and head up Macquarie Pass before finishing the day at Sutton Forest.
He began his run in Hobart in April, seen off by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and ran around Tasmania before flying to Perth for the mainland stretch.
Mr Farmer is due to complete the run in Uluru on October 11 - just days before the anticipated referendum date of October 14.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
