Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced Australians will be heading to the polls to vote on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament on Saturday the 14th of October.
The announcement means the national vote is only six weeks away, leading to all sides of the debate to ramp up their campaigning.
Speaking at a ‘Yes’ Campaign event in Adelaide on Wednesday, Mr Albanese urged Australians to support the proposal.
“In the spirit of generosity and optimism vote ‘Yes’ in recognition of 65,000 years of history vote ‘Yes’, we hope for a better future vote ‘Yes’, vote ‘Yes’ on October 14th.
While Gunnai Gunditjmara Djab Wurrung Senator and Blak Sovereign Movement representative Lidia Thrope posted an image on X -formally known as twitter- highlighting the government’s inaction in implementing recommendations of the Indigenous Deaths in Custody Royal Commission and the Bringing Them Home Report into forced removals of Indigenous Children.
The Senator has said previously the governments inaction to implement the reports recommendations shows the Voice will be ineffective.
While Fair Australia’s ‘No’ campaign spoke at a press conference in Tasmania, were senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said the proposed advisory body is divisive.
“To suggest that we have not had a voice is completely and utterly misleading, and we will not allow the Prime Minister and this referendum to divide our country on the lines of race within our constitution.”
Federal Liberal Party Leader Peter Dutton also criticised the body saying not enough detail has been provided.
“I don’t think people should be bullied into a position.
If you don’t understand, if you don’t know the detail, if you don’t have you questions answered in relation to the voice, if you don’t know vote ‘No’.”
Speaking at the ‘Yes’ campaign event Mr Albanese said there is information available.
“If something is unclear to you, or if you haven’t had a chance to think about this yet, I encourage you to ask questions because if you are unsure it is easy to find out more.”
More information on the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ Campaigns can be found on the AEC’s website.
And the Blak Sovereign Movement’s stance can be viewed on their website.
