Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity in the Senate to reach out to the millions of Australians who supported the 'yes' vote for the referendum for a voice to the parliament to be enshrined in the Constitution. I take this opportunity to say thank you to each and every one of you who were involved with the campaign—to the volunteers and Yes23 coordinators across the country—for an incredibly comprehensive and passionate campaign. From knocking on thousands of doors to making phone calls and speaking to people on the streets, your campaigning sparked conversations and reached Australians in the cities, regions, towns and remote bush communities, and even to Australian communities overseas.

For many volunteers, it was their first campaign and one done with incredible enthusiasm, energy and goodwill. I'm thankful for people like Professor Megan Davis, a constitutional lawyer who has been involved in the journey for many years and who no doubt will continue to be. Professor Davis helped design the regional dialogues with communities right across Australia which led to the gathering at the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2017 on Anangu country. Thank you to Dean Parkin, who led the campaign for Yes23, for your unwavering commitment in leading one of the biggest grassroots campaigns this country has ever seen, with around 60,000 volunteers. It was an awesome job, Dean. Pat Anderson is an Alyawarre woman who has made an immense contribution to Indigenous health. Thank you, Aunty Pat, for seeing through this process for so many years, including your time as co-chair of the Referendum Council. It released its final report in 2017 to the then coalition government.

And, of course, the former Indigenous Australian's minister Ken Wyatt has remained dedicated to the cause and had the courage to take a detailed report of voice-modelling to the former coalition government, not only once but twice. Noel Pearson has for many decades advocated for structural reforms to empower Indigenous people, including through a voice to parliament. And Thomas Mayo trekked through all corners of Australia for years to tell the story of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. He carried its message, but not just in the statement itself. Thank you, Thomas, for your incredible advocacy and your continued work, that will go on. Your books and your storytelling, especially to our children across the country—all young children—are beautiful reminders of a message that still resonates very strongly in the hearts of so many millions of Australians.

Thank you to the coalition members who showed their support, including former Nationals member Andrew Gee, and everyone involved in Liberals for Yes, including Senator Andrew Bragg, as well as Julian Leeser and Bridget Archer. Your courage, advocacy and support, and the dignity in which you carried through your advocacy and your firm belief throughout the campaign, were incredibly admirable. You certainly called out the commentary, and you certainly reminded all Australians that we are a democracy—and that in order to have our debates we must do so in a manner that is respectful. I appreciate the advocacy by the coalition members of Liberals for Yes—your advocacy in that space with us.

I would like to point out and mention to the Senate the First Nations Referendum Engagement Group members, who were so significant in their support but also in reaching out and giving guidance to our government, including to Minister Linda Burney, Senator Patrick Dodson, Mark Dreyfus as Attorney-General and me. I thank Councillor Ross Andrews, Nathan Appo, Professor Muriel Bamblett AO, Jennifer Beale, Professor Jack Beetson, Dameyon Bonson, Wendy Brabham, Paul Briggs OAM, Gavin Brown, Selwyn Button, Nicholas Cameron, Shirleen Campbell, Councillor Danny Chapman, Fiona Cornforth, Dr Josie Douglas, Katrina Fanning, Tyronne Garstone, Mick Gooda, Damian Griffis, Tanya Hosch, Paul House, Gibson Farmer Illortaminni, Deborah Katona, Councillor Esma Livermore, Jamie Lowe, Dr Hannah McGlade, Wayne Miller, Phillemon Mosby, Kado Muir, Karen Mundine, Teela Reid, Councillor Matthew Ryan, Shane Sturgiss, Ian Trust AO, Les Turner, Dr Tracy Westerman AM, Richard Weston, Sammy Wilson, Scott Wilson, Professor Asmi Wood and, of course, the late Mr T Amagula, who was the deputy chair of Anindilyakwa Land Council and who we buried last week.

Thank you to all the First Nations Referendum Working Group members: Dale Agius, Pat Anderson AO, Geraldine Atkinson, Professor Tom Calma AO, Professor Megan Davis, Rodney Dillon, Sean Gordon—for your outstanding advocacy, Dr Jackie Huggins AM, Professor Dr Marcia Langton AO—for your incredible wisdom throughout this and for giving us support, even when you were under incredibly sustained attack, Thomas Mayor, Tony McAvoy SC, June Oscar AO, Dean Parkin, Noel Pearson, Sally Scales, Napau Pedro Stephen AM, Marcus Stewart, Pat Turner AM, the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM, Professor Peter Yu AM and, of course, the late Mr Yunupingu, who was the chairman of the Yothu Yindi Foundation and who was represented at times by Denise Bowden.

We saw the referendum results and we know that 9.4 million Australians voted no to the Voice constitutional reform and that 6.2 million Australians voted yes. I reach out to each and every 'yes' voter and say thank you. Thank you so much for the letters, phone calls and texts I've received from so many hundreds, if not millions, of Australians who've reached out to show your support and your love. I also thank those who assisted the 'yes' campaign through these past few weeks.

We, of course, respect and accept the decision of the Australian people, and it's wonderful that we do live in a democracy where we can have a say and participate fully in our system of government. We know how difficult constitutional change is in Australia—now only eight out of 45 referendums have been successful, and none have ever succeeded without bipartisan support. We knew that it was never going to be easy once the Nationals moved away in November-December last year, which was certainly a deep disappointment. Later, to have the Leader of the Opposition put forward his firm position not to support the First Nations people who met at Uluru in their aim to have a Voice recognised in the Constitution was a double blow. This was clearly a deep disappointment for so many.

I am very pleased to note and to share with the Senate that 80 to 90 per cent of our First Nations people supported the vote in all of those communities right across Australia, including over 90 per cent in Wadeye—figures I've never seen before—and from Palm Island to Far North Queensland to Western Australia and down throughout parts of South Australia and into the southern parts of the country. I give a huge thankyou to all of those First Nations people who stood with us all the way. We will remain firm, strong and focused, and we'll continue on.

This has been an interesting time on many levels for me personally, but I've also been deeply inspired by so many—by the leadership with such dignity and the way in which you carried yourselves throughout the horrific onslaught that we received, through social media at various times and through hate and really resentful prejudice. I certainly hope that we can move forward in a way that strengthens where we can go as First Nations people in this country. I thank especially the Prime Minister for having the courage to follow through on taking our country through the referendum at the request of those First Nations people who asked us on such a long journey, over many, many years. I thank Linda Burney and Senator Pat Dodson. We fight on. I also give a special mention to Senator Cox and the Greens and the Independents who stood very firmly and strongly in this cause. We fight on. We will fight on.