National

Rural Australians urged to back the voice to parliament

By AAP Newswire

Sep 13, 2023

"What we want is to live on-country ... and contribute to the solutions," Bridget Cama says -AAP Image

Many country Australians may know what it feels like to have their voices ignored, living far from the cities where government decisions are made.

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This sentiment could unite regional Australians and Indigenous communities in the lead-up to the referendum on the voice to parliament, Uluru Youth Dialogue co-chair Bridget Cama says.

"What we want is to live on-country to raise our families and contribute to the solutions," Ms Cama told the Regional Australia Institute's national summit in Canberra on Wednesday.

"We want to build up our towns and communities in partnership with all Australians.

"In many ways, our concerns that have led to the proposed voice are the same as some regional Australians."

Ms Cama said many Indigenous people were asking Australians to support the voice on behalf of the next generation, in the same way regional communities were pushing for better health, education and opportunities.

"What we want is a better quality of life for mob in regional and remote Australia," she said.

"We want our kids and young people to see a future for themselves, where they live in community. Aboriginal people don't want to have to move to Canberra or to a big city to have their voices heard."

The referendum will be held on October 14.