With the Prime Minister yesterday setting October 14, 2023, as the date for the referendum, more North Queenslanders will now be turning their mind to the question of the Voice to parliament.
I encourage you to think about the Voice as an investment in the future of North Queensland and an investment in the future of the country.
As a thriving industrial hub with a rich culture and a proud Indigenous heritage, people here understand the importance of not just allocating funds but also making sure there is a good return on the money spent.
In many ways that’s what the Voice seeks to do too.
The Voice is about recognition and listening and will mean that the billions of dollars that governments invest in programs are better able to deliver outcomes that improve lives.
North Queensland’s favourite son Johnathan Thurston put it best when he wrote: “Our young people deserve the chance to be their best.
“I’ve seen the obstacles they face. Nobody understands that better than their local community. Giving them a say will mean more of our kids reach their potential. That’s what the Voice is about.”
JT is right. By listening to First Nations communities, the Voice will help ensure money gets to the communities where it will have the most impact and deliver the best outcomes in areas like Indigenous health, education, employment and housing. In this way, the referendum doesn’t – as some would have us believe – require a choice between pragmatism and principles.
What works and what’s right are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they can reinforce each other through the Voice.
It’s clear from the latest Closing the Gap data that despite the best intentions of many, the current approach isn’t working.
Just four out of 19 targets in the framework are listed as “on track”.
We’re behind on delivering a sustained reduction in suicide.
We’re behind on outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
And we’re behind on our targets to reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in custody.
Government investments, while substantial, are not delivering the outcomes Indigenous Australians need and deserve.
If we’re going to shift the dial on closing the gap and get better value for our investments, we’ve got to do something different.
There remains a significant disconnect between policy design and realities on the ground.
This was highlighted in a report from the Productivity Commission in July that showed how the top‑down, business‑as‑usual approach wasn’t working.
The PC concluded we need to consult, involve and empower First Nations people to deliver solutions which they know will have a real impact in their communities.
The Voice will help shift the approach from top‑down mandates to grassroots solutions.
Rooted in listening and mutual respect, the Voice will inform a blueprint for ensuring that our investments are targeted, effective, and meaningful.
In doing so, it will help ensure that what we invest leads to tangible improvements to the lives of our fellow Australians, maximising the impact of the funds spent on Closing the Gap.
We know we can do better. Now is the time to act.
By voting “yes” for the Voice, we are not merely casting a ballot. We’re affirming our commitment to an Australia that is principled in its actions and pragmatic in its solutions.
This is our chance to redefine how investments are made and, more importantly, how their impacts are felt.
Now is the time to ensure our investments create ripples of change. Now is the time to amplify the Voice.
We all want to see more Indigenous communities thrive with more young people finishing school, finding work and starting a business and that’s what the Voice will help facilitate.
Ultimately, the Voice is about helping more Australians share in the fair go.
Voting yes for the Voice is a simple act and a sensible change that will deliver better outcomes for all our people, all our communities and all of our country.
For Townsville, for North Queensland and for the country, on October 14, ask yourself ‘what would JT do?’ and vote “yes” in the Voice referendum.
