In the lead-up to the Voice to Parliament referendum, here's what non-Indigenous people can do to offer support to Indigenous Australians.
Indigenous Australians facing a 'heavy burden'
Melinda Cilento, co-chair of peak reconciliation body Reconciliation Australia, said these impacts come on top of the load Indigenous people always carry "in explaining the culture, history and place of First Nations people in our society".Kate Russell is an Awabakal woman and Chair of Diversity Council Australia’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander External Advisory Panel. She said this cultural load is not being talked about enough.
"Allyship for me means not taking up space, but standing with us and actually listening to what we have to say.", a Yorta Yorta woman and University of Wollongong academic, who distinguishes between allies and "accomplices". "But we need our allies now more than we do ever. This is a statistical game ... representing three per cent of the population, we need our allies to get educated, get informed.""Have a conversation - whether it’s at home, at work, on the street. Don’t underestimate the power of having a friendly, open conversation," she said.
"Then they prioritise the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and work to advance their perspectives."Indigenous people are not homogenous and like any community have diverse views, said Russell, a Yes campaigner. "Don't ask every Indigenous person about the referendum every time you see them. Don’t presume that just because we’re Indigenous we have a view - or want to take a view publicly," Blackwell said.Blackwell is publicly involved in the debate but acknowledges others are not in the same position.
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