Dahl Neame in Maitland (from Hamilton North)
Do you feel like you understand what the Voice is and what the referendum is asking?
Yes I do, I've gone through SBS and the ABC referendum information, and just having general conversations with people.
What does the Voice mean to you?
For me, I would love to see a Yes vote because I really think it's a gift for what the Indigenous people are giving, it is really a gift.
They need to have somebody there to let Parliament know their needs and things they would like to see happen for them, and their communities.
Margaret Myers in Kurri Kurri (travelling around Australia)
Do you feel like you understand what the Voice is and what the referendum is asking?
Yes I do.
Through the social media.
What does the Voice mean to you?
No interest. I will be voting, because it's compulsory, but agree? No, I don't agree with it. 100 per cent it would be no.
I'm Aboriginal myself, the fact is it also divides and I think the dividing is the biggest factor.
I just disagree with it, it's a case of ... racist dividing and I don't think we need that at this time of everything that is happening in this country and overseas. I think the last thing we need is dividing.
Tim McLane in Lorn (from Taree)
Do you feel like you understand what the Voice is and what the referendum is asking?
No, not at all. I think it's coming back to giving divide again.
I think they need to leave it the way that it was because I think there's plenty of voice already in Parliament, there's voice for everything at the moment and I believe it should just be left the way that it was.
What does the Voice mean to you?
It's come back to me as more division.
Tony Voorby in Maitland (from Maitland)
Do you feel like you understand what the Voice is and what the referendum is asking?
Perfectly.
What does the Voice mean to you?
I voted Yes because I've grown up with Aboriginal people as a young person and as a teacher ... I saw the disadvantage that they were coming from quite clearly.
What the Voice does is it gives Aboriginal people a voice - not a say - but an opinion which has to be listened to by government, and government can't change it because it's written into the constitution.
It's quite a harmless thing ... to be quite honest I don't think it's going to make much of a difference because political parties will do what they want.
But what will happen, is that it will be that voice there all the time and it will impact on public opinion in the long term.
Jesse Sharpe in Kurri Kurri (from Newcastle)
Do you feel like you understand what the Voice is and what the referendum is asking?
Yeah, I mean as far as to give them Parliamentary rights, it's a committee basically.
What does the Voice mean to you?
I'm voting Yes, I think it's going to be a basic fair shot thing. I don't think it's really going to change anything anyway. It makes sense, it probably should have already been done already.
It's a sign of the times and how we want it to be. In fact, I would have assumed before that there would have been something like that in place.
Gary Chaffer in Newcastle (from Sydney)
Do you feel like you understand what the Voice is and what the referendum is asking?
Yeah, I had a very, very clear understanding in my opinion of what it was.
What does the Voice mean to you?
I believe we're in a situation now where we have to salvage a bit of our pride and this is what I believe this is going to do, and also, I'm trustful of the new government, who I believe will be responsible enough so that everything is handled correctly.
Laura Weynton in Newcastle (from Newcastle)
Do you feel like you understand what the Voice is and what the referendum is asking?
It just sounds like it's going to be implemented into the constitution and will provide advice for Indigenous people on what would help their community, how they feel about whether funding is effective or what things can be done to improve the lives of Indigenous people. I think it's really important.
What does the Voice mean to you?
I have a partner who is Indigenous and for me personally I think it's really important to recognise that we do live on stolen land that's drenched with the blood of so many millions of Aboriginal people who have died at the hands of colonisers.
I think it's really important, especially for people not of colour, to recognise that and I think this will definitely be a step forward to bigger and better things like a Treaty.
Gerry Cooney in Newcastle (from Sydney)
Do you feel like you understand what the Voice is and what the referendum is asking?
No, it's not clear. It's a Trojan horse. It's signing a blank cheque to the government. I'm supportive of the cause and I think it's important we consider the First Nations people but this is a donkey vote.
What does the Voice mean to you?
I think it's just a lot of nonsense. I think it's important that Aboriginal people in Parliament, but what's this going to do for them?
It's all about left wing woke people in suburban Melbourne and Sydney, it's got nothing to do with people in the outback.
