More than 20 LGBTIQ+ groups from across Australia have joined together to support the Yes campaign for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander constitutional recognition.
In partnership with BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation, groups like Equality Australia, Minus 18 and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras have joined forces, saying there are many parallels between the push for the Voice and the marriage equality vote.
To recognise these parallels, Indigenous artist Wayde Clark, also known as Alejandro Lauren, was commissioned by Equality Australia to create an artwork in recognition of the ties between the First Nations and LGBTIQ+ community. Clark is a Wiradjuri and Birpai man.
“I wanted to bring Australia and everyone’s journey into the artwork, into all the different colours, just to make it inclusive because a world that has inclusivity is a world that I want to live in,” the artist said.
The Yes vote already has majority support among Equality Australia supporters. An online poll of more than 4000 of its backers found that 89.55% of them would be voting Yes in the referendum later this year.
Equality Australia legal director Ghassan Kassisieh said that the group was born from a public vote where LGBTIQ+ people and their allies stood together, and they needed to once more.
“When there was a public vote about our lives, the majority of Australians had our back and it’s time to pay it forward,” said Equality Australia legal director Ghassan Kassisieh.
Shane Sturgiss, the chief executive of the BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation, said the referendum follows years of campaigning by First Nations people and it was a much-needed reform.
“A Yes vote in the referendum will ensure First Nations people are recognised, bringing a level of fairness and equality that has not been seen in Australia before,” said Sturgiss.
The support from the LGBTIQ+ community comes as the recent polls shows that support is waning and it would struggle to get over the line if the referendum was held today.
A poll conducted by Resolve and Newspoll in July found that national support had fallen below 50%, while a July poll by Essential found support was at just 52%.
For the Yes vote to pass it requires a double majority, meaning it requires a majority of voters to vote yes nationally, and it requires a majority in a majority of states – so four out of the six states must have a majority yes vote.
The LGBTIQ+ organisations and businesses backing the Yes vote:
- Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International (ABBI)
- Bisexual Alliance Victoria
- Blaq Aboriginal Corporation
- Dowson Turco Lawyers
- Just.Equal Australia
- Health Equity Matters
- Equality Australia
- Equality Project
The LGBTIQ+ organisations and businesses backing the Yes vote:
- Equality Tasmania
- Living Proud WA
- Minus 18
- PFLAG Tasmania
- Pride Cup
- Pride Foundation Australia
- Rainbow Crows
- Rainbow Families
- South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance
- Stonewall Medical Centre
The LGBTIQ+ organisations and businesses backing the Yes vote:
- Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
- Thorne Harbour Health
- Transgender Victoria
- Victorian Pride Lobby
Eliot Hastie is a senior news producer at Channel Ten, reporting on a range of general stories, specialising in foreign affairs and LGBTQ+ stories. He’s also a reporter for Gay Sydney News, where he covers LGBTQIA+ culture, politics and nightlife. He previously helped to build and launch ausbiz, Australia's only live streaming finance news channel, where he was also an executive producer and host. He has previously worked as a finance and business journalist for publications including Fintech Business, Real Estate Business and other Momentum Media titles. Eliot holds a journalism degree from the University of Westminster and brings experience in both broadcast and digital reporting. Contact Eliot: eliot.hastie@gaysydneynews.com.au
