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The Yes campaign will hold its first set of major community events across Australia in July as it attempts to kickstart the Indigenous Voice referendum, which a key Liberal backer now fears is doomed as a result of Labor’s handling of the referendum.
The organisation leading the Voice push has long anticipated the moment at which it can move the debate out of Canberra, after referendum legislation passes parliament this month, and into the suburbs.
Campaign director Dean Parkin (right) and chief operations officer Simon Frost are helping lead Yes23’s referendum campaign.Credit: Chris Hopkins/Alex Ellinghausen
The July 2 blitz represents the first large-scale on-the-ground activation of events that organisers hope will bring national attention to the movement’s army of 8000 volunteers, educate voters, sign up activists and build momentum around a campaign that has been trapped in a political vortex for months.
Yes23 director Dean Parkin said the events marked the moment at which the Yes campaign would be separated from parliamentary jousting over the Voice’s details which has coincided with a drop-off in public support.
“Events will stretch from Hobart to Far North Queensland and across to Perth in what will be a national day for the Yes campaign to connect with everyday Australians,” Mr Parkin said.
Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, a long-time backer of the Voice who previously said he would lead the Liberals for Yes group, said on Wednesday that voters sympathetic to the Voice were being turned into opponents because Labor had failed to build any bipartisanship.
“People have tried to build centre ground here but have been rebuffed, and I think that is hugely regrettable,” he said on ABC Radio National on Wednesday, adding that the government’s “intransigence and refusal to engage has damaged the whole agenda.”
“I’m worried about the product here. I think that people are turning away from it”.
“A better process here would have helped build some centre ground. The government has not wanted to focus on building centre ground. The committee process we had was a joke.”
Thousands of people have said they want to attend the campaign’s city and regional events featuring stalls, information sessions, sports clinics for children, music performances, picnics, dancers and speeches.
The Yes campaign believes its activist base – including unions, largely progressive civil society groups and community members – gives it a significant advantage over the No campaign when it comes to community campaigning, increasing turnout, and handing out leaflets on referendum day.
Parkin added: “The events are called Come Together for Yes because that is exactly what this referendum is about. This is a unifying moment for Australia to connect with 65,000 years of Indigenous culture and deliver constitutional recognition that is well overdue.”
“We encourage people from all walks of life to attend their local event to learn about Indigenous culture, get inspired by our stories and most importantly, join us to secure a Yes vote in the referendum this year.”
Campaigner and documentary maker Rachel Perkins said: “We are energised by the community conversations that are taking place across the country and welcome more Australians to engage with the campaign.”
The events will take place at Sydney’s Prince Alfred Park, Melbourne’s Trades Hall, Hobart’s Goods Shed and Red Square, Brisbane’s Emma Miller Place, Sunshine Coast’s Kawana Football club, West Gladstone’s Lions Park, Darwin’s TRL Stadium, Perth’s Russell Square, Cairns’ Fogarty Park, and the Victorian Surf Coast’s Elephant Walk.
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