Constituency Statements - Australian Constitution: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

9/08/2023 Item Federation Chamber - CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS - Australian Constitution: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

We all know in this place that, if you want change, you have to work to make it happen. It's in that spirit that I want to thank all of those who I've been walking alongside in the Perth electorate, working to make change to our Constitution. It has been incredibly heartwarming to see people from all walks of life choosing to give up their time, energy, thoughts and ideas in talking to their neighbours about making change and enhancing our Constitution and the representative government we have here, through constitutional recognition through a voice. What I've seen in my community is people who recognise that talking to each other one-on-one is the best way to cut through the misinformation, cut through the divisive language and talk about how we, together, forge a stronger future for all Australians. What I've seen in Perth is people joining us at street stalls and doorknocks. Indeed, we even have one gentleman, David Dyke, who has made himself a homemade sandwich board and walks up and down the Maylands foreshore, talking to people on their Sunday morning walks about why he believes we should enhance our Constitution.

In that spirit of thanking people who are making change in our community—part of the 18 million Australians who get to help change and decide the future of our Constitution—I want to thank, in representing all of those Australians, the people who joined me in Yokine on the weekend for a doorknock. We knocked on a thousand doors and had fantastic conversations. In that spirit, I thank Aharon Friedland, Amira Nunn, Angela Leech, Anne Magee, Charlee Chmielewski, Cyril Toman, Dennis Liddelow, Diane Dowdell, Isabella Sovianti, Jaqui Hayward, Jake Wittey, Jill Edward, Julie Crowley, Lisa Fanciulli, Lisa Thomas, Maria de Molina, Marissa Williams, Mark Thompson, Mona Pforr, Peter Sourivong, Rosemarie Parker, Roya Ansari, Sharai Moore and Stephen Graves. These are just ordinary Australians who are getting out there, looking to make a difference.

If doorknocking is your thing and you like talking to people—you like interacting with other humans—then I encourage you to sign up to volunteer and engage in this campaign to enhance Australia's Constitution through constitutional recognition of our First Australians. If doorknocking's not your thing, you could put up a sign in your yard or on your front gate, you can choose to call people or you can just have conversations with your friends, because ultimately this is a decision that 18 million voting Australians will make later this year, and the best way to make sure we get that decision right is for all Australians to engage in the democratic process.