Victoria's peak body for Indigenous health has launched a new advertisement urging Australians to "make their vote count" at the upcoming federal election.
The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation's (VACCHO) Speak Out campaign, which they say is aimed at countering the "harmful racist rhetoric that is all too often seen in the media and reflected in certain government policies" by inspiring people to take a stand, launched Tuesday.
It will broadcast on free-to-air in Victoria, as well as on pay-tv provider Foxtel and social media, calling for "collective action and strong leadership in shaping a future that values equity, inclusion, and respect for all".
The ad notes that "good leadership" means standing with "all Australians—not just the ones that look like you".
"Truth isn't dangerous; silence is," it says.
Playing on the fear campaign during the voice which argued, "If you don't know, vote no," the Speak Out ad states: "If you don't know, ask why; learn."
VACCHO chief executive Jill Gallagher said Speak Out was more than just politics and an election.
"This election is an opportunity for all Australians to take a stand against division and to work together towards a future where everyone is treated with dignity, equity and respect," she said.
Late last year, opposition leader Peter Dutton caused a furore amongst Indigenous leaders and groups when he said he would not stand in front of the Aboriginal flag if he was elected Prime Minister. The Liberal leader, who infamously walked out of the parliamentary apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008, said flying the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags would be "dividing our country unnecessarily" and sending a "confusing message".
Dr Gallagher labelled Mr Dutton's comments "baffling" which promoted the "very division he is pretending to address". VACCHO argued Mr Dutton had a "long history of pursuing relevance" by being dismissive of Indigenous people and culture.
His comments came amidst the long-term fallout from the Voice referendum, which saw large amounts of mis- and disinformation peddled by online commentators, whilst the level of abuse and racism in the Indigenous community increased dramatically.
During the campaign, Indigenous mental health service 13YARN reported a 108 per cent increase in callers reporting abuse, racism, and trauma between March and June 2023, with the overall number of callers increasing in the lead-up to the referendum.
Dr Gallagher, the state's former Treaty Commissioner who vehemently defended the role of peak bodies in helping to close the gap at a sometimes fiery pre-election community debate last month in Naarm, said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still face significant health disparities compared to the non-Indigenous population.
She said if the country was serious about bringing about changes to these disparities, the systemic racism that still affects Indigenous access to healthcare and health outcomes needed to be addressed.
"It's about taking responsibility for the future we want to create," the Gunditjmara woman said.
A VACCHO spokesperson said the campaign seeks to "celebrate, embrace, and take pride in the rich, living culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples".
"It aims to foster understanding and unity across the country by inspiring all Australians to engage with and celebrate the oldest continuous culture in the world," they said.
"The campaign calls for collective action and strong leadership in shaping a future that values equity, inclusion, and respect for all."
