I have struggled with the fairness and equity of a special voice to Parliament because I do not have one.
The old dictum of one vote of equal value per person currently seems to have flown the coop.
Jacintha Price and Linda Burnley who are both of Aboriginal heritage do not seem to agree with each other regarding the Voice, and they are only two within the Aboriginal community.
Some of the main issues which appear to create concern among the Aboriginal people seem to centre around housing or accommodation within the Aboriginal population, and a lack of health services and in general community support.
Housing or accommodation within the Aboriginal population from what I have heard and seen seems to be a real problem inasmuch as there is too little of it, and what there is in many circumstances is lacking in appearance and facilities.
Sections of the non-Aboriginal community will have sympathy with you. The bloke who is sleeping in his van or the woman with two youngsters sleeping in her car or the people who are sleeping behind the toilet block, or the couple with one kid who could no longer afford the rent and have moved in with their parents.
Please tell them about your housing problems.
Education is generally regarded as the domain of teachers who provide kids with reasoning powers.
Some of the teachers in the non-Aboriginal schools were not just teaching regular subjects but at their own expense, providing breakfast and counselling and after hours sports activities. Some schools had no air conditioning much like those which Aboriginal children attended.
With regard to health services, no two places have the same number of staff or facilities to treat a range of people with various illnesses or conditions and this is true for all people living in what is currently called Australia.
I know of one woman in Adelaide who had to fly to New South Wales for treatment, as the hospital there was the only facility in Australia who could deliver the treatment. So living in a big city did not mean she could get treatment there.
I do not consider myself disadvantaged though my reserves are less than the average for my age and my car is 22 years old.
I live cheek by jowl with people who could buy and sell me. I am fine. I have shelter and food and if necessary some medical services. Do I envy those who have well in excess of me?
No, most of them have worked hard to get what they now have. That’s fair!
Last week I had a replacement cleaner. As she was about to leave she asked about some written material lying on a table, wondering if I was a writer. I explained that it was just some thoughts I had about the Aboriginal people in Australia adding that I had had great difficulty in contacting one recently.
The lovely young woman informed me that she was an Aboriginal and named her people and where they lived. We had a wonderful short conversation about our respective cultures and backgrounds and not once was the Voice mentioned.
A wonderful conversation. She and I said that it was lovely to meet each other. It was great to meet a non-media driven Aboriginal person.
In conclusion please let me tell you of a conversation which occurred between Heather Ewart of the ABC and Uncle Archie.
As they were approaching a footbridge, Heather said to Uncle Archie that it was good of him to let her come on to his land.
Uncle Archie turned towards Heather and told her that it was not his land, it was land for anybody who wanted to come here.
How refreshing.
Bob Sinclair,
Noosaville
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abc.net.au/news/2023-07-19/fact-check-yes-no-campaign-pamphlets-aec/102614710
