'Take this journey with us': Uluru Dialogue representatives hit the road to spread word on the Voice

Jarred Cross
Jarred Cross Published March 25, 2023 at 6.15am (AWST)

Kuku Yalanji man Alwyn Lyall says he feels sorry for his parents.

Just one year before his birth, in 1968, Australia held a referendum, and voted in support to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait people as citizens on their own land.

The decision didn't bring an end to the marginalisation, discrimination and racism subjected to First Peoples of Australia, but it meant so much to so many after decades, almost two centuries, of impassioned campaigning for recognition.

Now, as an Uluru Dialogue representative Mr Lyall is doing some campaigning of his own.

On Saturday he and his fellow representatives arrived at Mossman markets, on Mr Lyall's Country and "footprints" in far north Queensland, to discuss the Voice to Parliament with the local community.

A day later they'll be 90 minutes south at Yungaburra markets before hosting an open-invitation yarning circle at the local town hall on Wednesday.

The group visited Yungaburra for the same reasons three weeks ago.

"The doors open to everybody. What we're trying to do is just spread the word about what the Voice is all about," Mr Lyall told the National Indigenous Times.

"We want to be heard.

"When government are sitting down at the table, making decisions for what's in the best interest of us Aboriginal people I want to be at the table and to be able to put across our perspective, or our understanding of our way forward.

"The government has been making decisions for us since federation and they've never ever listened to our voice.

"We've had plenty of Indigenous people that have been hand-picked to represent us over the years by different governments, but we've never had a grassroots representation."

He says chatting to the community is an opportunity to give a "clearer understanding" of a First Nations perspective within what has been bandied about in some of the media coverage surrounding the referendum.

As for the finer details within parliament and the committee groups he says "we've gotta get through the referendum first. We can't put the cart before the horse".

"Most of the people I talk to, they're confused," Mr Lyall said.

"What we want to do is try and bring it back to the community in these town conversations. In these yarning circles.

"I want to try and answer the questions of the community - how's it gonna affect Aboriginal people? Who's gonna benefit?

He says the Voice "is a good thing for us mob" and an opportunity for wider Australia to "take this journey with us".

ULURU DIALOGUE DATES & TIMES:

  • Mossman Market: Saturday 25 March from 7:30am to 12:30pm

  • Yungaburra Market: Sunday 26 March from 7:30am to 12:30pm

  • Yungaburra Town Hall Yarning Circle: Wednesday 29 March at 6:30pm

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National Indigenous Times

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.