Leading Noosa Shire citizens and friends have gone public with their support for a Voice referendum Yes vote, sharing their stories in a full page advertisement in the hope of inspiring others.
Prominent Noosa citizens to lend their names and stories to the initiative include Kabi Kabi man Brian Warner; former Powderfinger drummer and co-founder of the Sunny Coast Showdown film talent incubator Jon Coghill; and playwright and journalist Kristin Williamson.
They are joined by leading Yes23 campaigner, Jade Ritchie, a Gooreng Gooreng woman who has lived on the Sunshine Coast and returned to lend her support to the local Yes campaign last weekend.
A range of everyday people including small-business owners and people who work in health, law, education and the arts are also featured in the full page advertisement in Noosa Today.
One of the organisers of the initiative, Noosa for Yes coordinator Dr Geoff Evans, said many more well-known and less well-known people would appear in future advertisements, sharing their stories about why they support a Yes vote.
Dr Evans, a public health researcher from Pomona, said many of those taking part in the ad were “regular people who feel that our nation would be strengthened by recognising First Nations people in the Constitution”.
“We talked about it and we decided that an ad would be a good way to cut through the distraction and noise and tangibly show the local support for the Voice,” Dr Evans said.
“The people who appear in the ad don’t think the Voice is scary; they’re not worried about losing their homes or having their rights diminished.
“They’re just Noosa Shire people whose life experience tells them that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will do better if they have a say in the laws and policies affecting them.
“We are supporting Yes because we know that Yes means recognising, listening and better results.”
Dr Evans said Noosa for Yes was continuing to raise awareness through street stalls in shopping strips and markets and would have a presence at pre-polling places and polling booths.
New volunteers were signing up through the website every day and more than 100 people turned out to hear Jade Ritchie speak at an organising meeting at the weekend, he said.
For event details and to sign up to volunteer go to www.yes23.com.au/noosa_for_yes
