The draft document is intended as the first collective response of Indigenous leaders supporting the Yes campaign after a week of silence following the referendum defeat.
Indigenous leaders are divided over the wording of a joint statement following the Voice referendum defeat, with several objecting to the tone of a draft open letter, which lays blame for the loss on the Coalition and is critical of No voters.
“The truth is that the majority of Australians have committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not, and there is nothing positive to be interpreted from it. Only the shameless could say there is no shame in this outcome,” the statement says. The draft statement signalled a pathway forward, saying Indigenous leaders would seek to amend the Uluru Statement from the Heart “to remove the aim of enshrining a First Nations Voice in the Constitution”.
Those who objected included Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar, co-chairman of Queensland’s Interim Truth and Treaty Body Mick Gooda, and Coalition of the Peaks lead convener Pat Turner. They were contacted for comment.“We have faith that the upswelling of support through this referendum has ignited a fire for many to walk with us on our journey towards healing and justice. Our truths have been silenced for too long,” it said.
The document is addressed to the prime minister and “every Member of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Commonwealth Parliament” and states that it will be circulated to the Australian public and media. Sources close to the Yes campaign were briefing media during the week that the statement was expected to be circulated this weekend, but its status was unclear on Saturday evening.
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