Northern Territory Senator and Yanyuwa Garrawa woman Malarndirri McCarthy has lent her support to the Wollongong 'yes' campaign ahead of the Voice to Parliament referendum, asking people to help change the "status quo".
Senator McCarthy attended a Yes23 rally with scores of Voice supporters at Thirroul Beach on Saturday, September 9.
The Labor senator said reaching a 'yes' vote in the October 14 referendum would be "inspiring" and would lift Australia "to a level that's unimaginable".
"Ultimately all we are asking for is an advisory body to speak to the parliament. We could have asked for much more, but we didn't," Senator McCarthy said.
Elder Uncle Richard Davis, a prominent local supporter of the 'yes' vote, was also at the event.
"There are so many voices to parliament, but none are Aboriginal voices. What's that telling us? We need to change, and we need to do better," Uncle Richard said.
He said he could not understand why people "don't want to give us a voice".
"We have 65,000 years of history we want to share. Aboriginal culture isn't just for aboriginal people, it's for all of us," Uncle Richard said.
Senator McCarthy implored 'yes' supporters to talk to people.
"I'd say to people who are unsure, I speak to you as not only the senator but also as a Yanyuwa Garrawa woman, we don't want to see the funerals that we have across our country every week, the suicides, the low birth rates, the low birth weights of our babies," Senator McCarthy said.
"We want to see less incarceration of our people. We don't want this status quo that just keeps us down.
"And I ask you, please, vote yes for an advisory body to be enshrined in the constitution so irrespective of who's in government, whether it's Labor, whether it's Liberal, or whoever, there will always be First Nations people giving a voice on policies and legislation that impacts them to the parliament and the executive."
Also at the Thirroul rally were Cunningham MP Alison Byrnes, Wollongong MP Paul Scully, and deputy lord mayor Tania Brown.
Meanwhile close to 200 people reportedly attended a family-friendly 'yes' event at Glastonbury Gardens in Austinmer on Sunday afternoon.
A new choir supporting the Voice to Parliament, Voice for Yes, debuted a song titled Voice Treaty Truth.
Despite vocal support for the 'yes' campaign in Wollongong - to date, there have been no organised events from 'no' voters - a new poll by ACM, the publisher of the Mercury, shows more than 61 per cent of Australians plan to vote against the Voice, up from 55 per cent in June.
The exclusive survey of more than 8600 people shows only 34 per cent of voters plan to vote 'yes' in the referendum, while 5 per cent are undecided.
In June, 38 per cent of people said they would vote 'yes', and 7 per cent were undecided.
Women are more supportive of the Voice than men, with 42 per cent of female survey respondents saying they would vote yes, compared to 26 per cent of male participants, but women are also more likely to be undecided.
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.
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.
