Voting Yes on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament would 'empower our people' to combat disadvantage, Pearson said during a National Press Club address.
But at the same venue on Wednesday, Pearson insisted the "modest ... but profound" change would allow them to "take responsibility" for combating disadvantage in their communities.
Successive Closing the Gap reports have laid bare disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, with the former experiencing lower life expectancy, higher incarceration rates, and being less likely to graduate from university. "Voting No is an active choice to take us nowhere. Voting No leaves us suspended in the neverland that exists when two peoples love the same homeland, but have not yet learned to love each other."Despite polls, we had to test Uluru's call: Pearson
But despite flagging backing, Pearson claimed Indigenous Australians "had to ask" the questions posed at Uluru, whether that desire was driven by "naivety or faith". The No camp has repeatedly demanded detail on how it would operate, something parliament would be tasked with working through after a Yes vote.
"I have observed both the fundamental power of listening and the devastating consequences of wilful deafness ... [This] is a disease of the unlistened to."
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