Paul Makin

Journalist

There hasn’t been a skerrick of publicity about it but there’s a very important meeting taking place tonight at the Mossman Shire Community Hall in Mill Street.

Once again Newsport and Community Radio Station Douglas FM are the media outlets letting you know what’s happening in your own backyard. The meeting has to do with ‘The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice’ to Parliament and the history making Referendum question to be put to the Australian people in 2023. On March 23rd this year the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the constitutional amendment and question that will be put to the Australian people at this referendum. It’s a proposed law to alter the Australian Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

Organised by the The Uluru Statement, everyone with an interest in this important proposed change to our constitution, is invited to the Mossman Shire Community Hall with a promise to have their questions answered.

Brandt Teale from Cooya Beach told Newsport he’ll be there with bells on to listen to the pros and cons “If you care about First Peoples issues, you should be there, I have plenty of questions about the Voice and hopefully tonight they’ll be answered and I also hope it’s done in a nonpartisan way” he said.

DSC pro Voice

According to their website, Douglas Shire Council will join other local governments across Australia in endorsing the Uluru Statement from the Heart as part of a commitment to reconciliation between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians. The Referendum will be held between October and December. Tonight’s meeting starts at 6.30pm and is expected to last for at least 2 hours.