Australian creatives bring their support and perspective to the Voice Referendum
Image: John Farnham pictured in Warwick Thornton's Yes Campaign Ad, allowing the campaign to use his song "You're The Voice." Image: Youtube.
With the upcoming Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, Australian creatives have collaborated their talents towards supporting the ‘Yes’ campaign.
Australian musicians, actors and film-makers, many have coordinated their talents to advocate their support and encourage the constitutional change, recognising it as a significant moment within Australian history. Creatives including John Farnham, John Paul Young OAM and other collaborators are utilising their platforms within Australian culture, to bolster support for the ‘Yes’ vote through their respective campaigns.
Singer Young, known for his Australian hit “Love Is In The Air,” and Allstar Band mate Warren Morgan, released their short-video titled “From The Heart” in late July. The original song by both musicians and accompanying video of two photos and Narration by actor Jack Thompson, delivers a personal message from both musicians on the Voice.
The first image shown within the video is of a welcoming dance from the Kokoda Celebration service at Goodooga in 2018. The celebration includes recognition for Indigenous soldier, George Leonard, who was killed on the Kokoda Trek. His death during the second world war is commemorated in the poem “The Colour Digger.” Young and Morgan have previously performed a musical adaptation of the poem, during The Coloured Digger Project commemorations in Redfern.
The second image is Brian Clifford Edwards OAM being welcomed by children after landing his 1943 tiger moth, in 1990. Morgan and Edwards met in school, and remained friends till Edward’s death in 2003.
With the melody created by Morgan, Young sings, “A brand new day, a brand new start, a simple statement from the heart.”
“The Indigenous voice to parliament will not have the power of a veto, it will not resolve in a third parliamentary chamber. The Voice is simply a proposed constitution mechanism that allows our first nations people a chance to have a say in discussion that affect their future. It’s from the heart,” narrates Thompson, with the script written by Young.
Both images and the lyrics within the video, hold a personal connection to the artists and their perspectives to supporting the Voice. Branching personal and national history provide both an intimate call from the artists involved, and contextualises their thoughts on the referendum through a simplistic and straightforward approach.
Similarly, Farnham’s collaboration in an ad campaign from Uluru Statement From The Heart Organisation brings support to the Voice through a more cultural intrinsic lens. Farnham’s song, “You’re The Voice,” is used as the soundtrack for the ad, which is directed by acclaimed Indigenous film-maker Warwick Thornton. The campaign and song share the same title, and are to be used on social media platforms and TV.
Farnham’s song has been ingrained into Australian culture as a generational classic, with Uluru Statement From The Heart calling it “Australia’s unofficial anthem.” This track is paired with clips from significant moments within Australian culture, relating to Indigenous representation and changes within the political landscape. Clips of the 1967 referendum, 2017’s Marriage Equality vote, the Mabo case victory, Australian Gun Law reforms, and Indigenous Sport stars Nicky Winmar and Cathy Freeman are being viewed by a generation of families within the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br8dB_0z3Fk
The inclusion of Australian pop culture and tied with Farnham’s song provides a larger perspective to what this referendum will represent. The video carries a powerful message of what the Voice referendum will represent for the next generations of Australians, towards societal and political progress for Indigenous people.
Whilst each artist have interpreted their perspectives differently, both videos share the common support and recognition of the progress which proceeds the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Both songs hold their respective lyrical and visual weight, whilst using poignant Australian events highlight the significance of constitutional Indigenous recognition.
