The 2023 Australian of the Year Local Hero has come to Geelong to support the Voice to Parliament.
Amar Singh is on a 25,000-kilometre journey around Australia and stopped in Geelong on Tuesday, September 12, to attend a Geelong for Yes event at the Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct.
Mr Singh said he wanted all diverse communities to come together and achieve the “greater good” for First Nations during the voting stage of the Voice to Parliament referendum on October 14.
“There has been a gap in information, going back decades when multiculturalism was a new thing and people were scared that migrants were going to take over Australia,” he said.
“Looking at the referendum, there is nothing to be scared of. This is a wonderful and very important step in the right direction.”
Geelong for Yes convenor Kayne Harwood said the event was the perfect opportunity to bring together leaders from different faiths and cultures to discuss The Voice.
“It was uplifting to see the empathy that migrant communities like the Hazaras, who are a persecuted minority in their home country, have for Australia’s First Peoples,” he said.
“First Nations People make up less than four per cent of the population and suffer worse outcomes in health, education and economic participation.
“Our wish is that all the attendees take the message of hope that they heard today back to their communities and encourage them to vote ‘Yes’ on October 14.”
Geelong for Yes and the Wathaurong Cooperative will also host a Djilang Market and Voice Forum on Sunday, September 24, on the Geelong Waterfront’s Eastern Beach, featuring indigenous stallholders, artists, performers and speakers.
