Local Sydney councils gear up to support the Voice to Parliament

By TILEAH DOBSON

Local councils across Sydney are joining in and supporting the ‘Yes’ vote for the Voice to Parliament, with many undergoing their own campaigns to help ensure the upcoming referendum passes.

Councils such as the City of Sydney, Woollahra Municipal, Waverley, Inner West and Randwick have passed motions that not only outline what their ‘Yes’ campaigns include, but are seeking to ensure their respective communities are educated and well-informed of what the upcoming referendum is about.

City of Sydney Council

In the City of Sydney council, their campaign involves endorsing their communications and engagement activities to support the ‘Yes’ campaign. This includes “street banners, utilising library resources and community centres.”

The council will also be discouraging any racism or discrimination and ensuring that the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community is cared for in anticipation for negative backlash.

Councillor Yvonne Weldon, a proud Wiradjuri woman and the council’s first Aboriginal councillor, said, “we urgently need to close the gap! A Voice to the Parliament isn’t a magic bullet but it will ensure that Government is informed by and accountable to representatives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

“I welcome Council’s decision to support a ‘Yes’ vote,” she continued.

“During the 2017 marriage equality plebiscite, the Sydney electorate showed the highest support in the Country. I’d like to see this level of support replicated in this year’s referendum.”

Councils In The Eastern Suburbs

The Woollahra council will be printing and providing resources for both the ‘Yes’ campaign, along with hosting a “cultural and children’s activities at the naming and opening ceremony for Gugara Park, Paddington.”

Waverley council will be endorsing their strong support for the ‘Yes’ campaign, with the tagline ‘Waverley says Yes’ throughout their community education strategy.

City Hub spoke with the council’s mayor, Paula Masselos who broke down what the council’s strategy entailed.

“We’ve got some information sessions and will be undertaking a series of promotional activities. This includes our socials and information throughout our newsletters, we will be working in close consultation with the federal government on this,” she said.

“Our council is committed to the Voice and we want to ensure that we have a well-informed community and can make an informed decision when it comes time to vote.”

“We think this is very important and the time to right a historic wrong and I hope the rest of Australia sees this and votes Yes.”

The Randwick council recently passed a motion that will see $28,900 allocated for their ‘Yes’ campaign, along with providing content and education to the community in understanding the ‘Yes’ vote.

The council will also be providing opportunities for greater cultural awareness and raising general awareness of the referendum. Randwick’s mayor, Dylan Parker spoke of his excitement for the campaign.

“The referendum is an historic opportunity for reconciliation and progress nationwide making it so important that our community is well informed on the proposed advances,” he told City Hub.

“Our community prides itself on being the home of [a] vibrant and enduring Aboriginal community, with many locals tracing their ancestry back thousands of years.”

“We’ve listened to the wishes of local Elders, Community, the La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council, as well as other Aboriginal Controlled Organisations who have asked us to support the Voice and get involved in the ‘Yes’ campaign. This decision reflects these wishes.”

Inner West Council

The Inner West council has helped to train 1100 local community members who have become advocates for the Uluru Statement from the Heart. This is something that the council’s mayor, Darcy Bryne is pleased about.

“We have trained 1100 local citizens to help carry out civic education about the referendum and now they are ready to spread the word throughout the Inner West and beyond,” he said.

“This is an incredible response from the Inner West community to the Council’s request for citizens to get involved in informing their friends and neighbours about why this historic moment is so important.”

“It is vital that we directly contact and begin conversations with church groups, sporting clubs, not-for-profit organisations, local businesses, and charities. This is the work that is urgently needed now in communities across Australia.”

City Hub reached out to CEO of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, Nathan Moran but did not receive a response.