Gandu Jarjum members reflect on the referendum campaign
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128 No 7, 29 September 2023, page no. 8
Earlier this year, we, the members of the QTU’s First Nations committee Gandu Jarjum, invited our fellow QTU members to accept the invitation within the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Since then, we have been proactively working to ensure everyone is informed of the need to vote Yes in the referendum. We thank those members and their loved ones who have embraced the invitation to walk with us for positive changes for all First Nations peoples across our great country.
As we await the outcome of the referendum, here we reflect on the campaign.
Preston Parter: When discussion around the possibility of constitutional recognition for our First Nations peoples’ voices started last year, I was filled with hope and determination. It makes sense that government would want to hear about the best approach for our people and work towards closing the current gaps in health, education, housing etc.
When politics, misinformation and scare tactics took over the campaign landscape, I began to worry. Not within the QTU though. I have admired the stance that our Union has taken to fully back a Yes vote. The next couple of months will be crucial to how we as a nation and an educational system progress. As one of only a small number of First Nations principals across our state, I worry about where education is heading if the Yes vote doesn’t succeed. It is already hard enough to encourage our mob to become teachers and educators. A No vote would send a message that their opinions are still not valued at the highest levels of decision making.
All principals and school leaders who have had commendable outcomes in First Nations education I have spoken to have worked closely with their communities and valued their voices on issues that affect them. I often reflect on the language revival journey that my own school has been on, and can’t even comprehend how far behind we would be if we didn’t consult with our language advisory group of elders, community members and First Nations workers.
James Matysek: I’ve been encouraged by the level of support for the YES campaign among my teaching colleagues and fellow QTU members at Northern Peninsula Area State College. It is interesting to hear a few of the initial ideas and misconceptions promoted by the No campaign, though these were easily and respectfully debunked with basic facts, also known as the truth.
Zan Branford: As a father, husband, brother, principal and advocate, I want tomorrow to be better than today. A step towards this would be the establishment of a First Nations Voice through Constitutional recognition, acknowledging our rich history and providing a practical and meaningful pathway to a better future. As a people, we haven’t had recognition, our truth hasn’t been told, and we have not had a voice at any table of influence. This referendum is an opportunity to change that for a better future.
Huge improvements can be made in a short time through the provision of agency and voice – that is why voting YES will mean our children can walk through the doors to a better future. The YES campaign has demonstrated to me the resilience and courage of our people. Those who oppose the cause have resorted to fear mongering and untruths. There have certainly been ugly and tough moments along the path, but I remind myself “it is hard to grow beyond something we won’t let go of.” With this in mind, I stay positive and hopeful of a referendum result that will allow us as a nation to move together, faster and achieving more.
Belinda Coulahan: Our First Nations heritage hasn’t been appropriately recognised or considered within the political or social landscape in Australia – especially within our Constitution. The historic governmental policies that oppressed my family and my mob have left intergenerational trauma. That trauma alone requires recognition that policies such as the Flora and Fauna Act, the assimilation policy, and the practices that resulted in the Stolen Generation violated basic human rights. Not having a voice or control over your own destiny – that needs to stop.
A YES vote and a successful Voice to Parliament would create not only recognition, but enable a First Nations voice in matters that directly involve us, including health, education, housing, employment, and families.
This is something First Nations people have not had throughout Australian history. We all need the connections to this land and want to have input in the direction of our lives; assisting in shaping the society we have today. This can only become a reality if all of Australia sends a clear message and votes Yes to constitutional change and recognition via the Voice.
Maddy Pugin: I am hopeful that the referendum will result in a YES, both nationwide and in the majority of states. I feel this way because of the optimism and goodwill I have seen from colleagues, as well as complete strangers, on the Gold Coast who have shown up to events like the National Day of Action in Burleigh Heads and Come Together for Yes in Varsity Lakes. Teachers have engaged across all Gold Coast branch and area council meetings by listening, asking questions, and affirming their support. I have reconnected with past teachers and previous students and their parents who are walking with First Nations peoples for a better future. This campaign has taught me that people do care about the rights of First Nations peoples in this country. I am hopeful that Australians will see that recognising First Nations peoples in the constitution through a Voice to Parliament is not something to fear, but rather to embrace.
Emerson Zerafa-Payne: I’m writing just after the date of the referendum has been announced. It fills me with a sense of hope and determination, but also a sense of panic – have we done enough? What will happen if the No vote gets through? I am determined to give this everything I’ve got and leave nothing in the tank come the day after the referendum – which I’m hoping will put Australia on the right side of history.
Stepping up as Acting First Nations Officer for the QTU this year has given me a unique perspective on this campaign. I’ve seen the work teachers, Union Officers and Organisers, as well as allies, are doing across the state. In spite of First Nations peoples being just 2.9 per cent of the Queensland population, allies have embraced the Uluru Statement from the Heart invitation and are walking to YES with us. I’ve had the privilege of talking to teachers and school leaders around Australia, unpacked the Voice hundreds of times, and answered thousands of questions. I can only hope it’s enough.
Micheal Beale: I have been on a whirlwind learning curve, leading the QTU campaign for a YES vote in the referendum. I have had many positive experiences while engaging in conversations with Australians from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, working towards a shared understanding of the need for constitutional recognition of the country’s First Nations peoples and the importance of changing how we do business with a Voice to Parliament. In my heart, I hope that future generations will benefit from a resounding Yes vote. The Voice to Parliament will ensure that governments are provided with timely and relevant advice when they consider laws and policies that impact upon First Nations communities. It will also lead to sound fiscal management, as when they listen, they will have to spend less on addressing issues.
In the days, weeks, and months after the referendum it is important that we take time in our workplaces, homes, communities and as a country to heal. We need to move forward and ensure that no Australian is left behind and that our governments, both politicians and bureaucrats, are held accountable for their actions. We need to ensure that we continue along the long path of reconciliation ensure all Australians experience equality.
Amanda Power: Dumarr (thank-you) to all my comrades who stood by First Nations peoples and are supporting the YES vote. For me personally, I trust that the government's intentions are true and just and that all communities across this nation truly get what we deserve, which is a Voice. Having a say in what is best for us, as we are the experts with lived experience, and we know what is needed to address the issues in our communities. A Voice is the first step from the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and I cannot wait to see the changes that will result for future generations and honour our ancestors, who fought so hard for equality before us.
Cassandra Ketchell: I am finding it hard to find the words to express how I feel about the referendum. At times my heart has been so full of hope that we, the First Nations peoples of the land, will finally be recognised in the Australian Constitution and have a real Voice. However, at other times my heart is so sad because of the negative coverage that the referendum has received since the government announced we would be going to the polls. I hope to wake up on 15 October to see that all of Australia has embraced the invitation to walk with First Nations peoples on this journey of reconciliation and healing.