Image: Uncle Wayne 'Coco' Wharton, Treaty Before Voice (Facebook)
Thousands turned out for annual Labour Day parades across Queensland and the Northern Territory on Monday, with many Unions using the march to show their support for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Workers and their families were joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as they marched through the streets of Brisbane commemorating the people’s struggle to achieve fair work conditions.
Speaking ahead of the march, Albanese said the day is a celebration of workers rights and a commemoration of all that’s been achieved over such a long period of time.
“It’s a commemoration of working people struggling to achieve decent wages and conditions, to deliver changes in occupational health and safety to make sure they can return home at work after putting in a fair day’s work with a fair day’s pay,” he said.
Meanwhile, Union advocates for the Voice say they want to send a clear message that voting ‘yes’ in the referendum will move the country forward.
But Indigenous protestors of the Voice calling for Treaty first, say Union groups have been misled by government, and a Voice will only undermine the sovereignty of Indigenous people.
Kooma man and long-time Aboriginal activist, Uncle Wayne ‘Coco’ Wharton was escorted away by police for delaying the march, but says he received some positive responses from the public as he handed out information on the grassroots campaign ‘Treaty Before Voice’.
