Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thought I'd take a few moments to update the House on how the 'yes' campaign is going in my electorate of Bendigo. The Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation in Bendigo—the Dja Dja Wurrung are the traditional owners of our area—are advocating yes to the Voice. 'Dja dja' actually means 'yes yes'. The Dja Dja Wurrung are the 'yes yes speaking' people. So in central Victoria we are actually saying 'dja' to the Voice: yes.

I was privileged enough to have Rodney Carter, the CEO of the Djaara corporation, speak at the first of our many events that we have had to show support for the Voice to Parliament. We've had lawyers, nurses and business owners, and representatives from faith based organisations and multicultural groups come together in Bendigo and other major towns to say yes to the Voice.

The City of Greater Bendigo, which is one of the largest regional councils in Victoria, has come on board. In June, at their council meeting, they endorsed the Voice to Parliament and a 'yes' vote. Last week Murray Primary Health Network came on board. The chair of the board, Fabian Reid, said:

A quarter of Victoria's First Nations Peoples live in our catchment—

and will be impacted by this—

It is not acceptable that their life expectancy and health outcomes are well below those of our non-Indigenous community members.

They are just a few of the many organisations who are on board with the 'yes' vote—a yes to the referendum. (Time expired)