Noel Pearson Speech, National Museum of Australia (17 March 2021)

[@eleeshachapman15]

I am happy to comment here, expressing my desire to vote a solid YES at the upcoming referendum, which Noel advocated here in this brilliant, compelling and very moving speech, 2 years ago, under a different Prime Minister then. I was a weak and wobbly 'no' when I first heard the proposal for the Voice. My enflamed, impassioned, ex husband who is of Maori heritage, a well educated man raised in Australia, with no particular political leanings on either side as such, would just about berate me over the need to support the Voice. He was always very emotionally charged over indigenous injustice, wanting to see a similar recognition for them as that of his Maori people. My knee-jerk reaction to him was defensiveness of course...just my pride kicking in considering all that he and I have been through on a personal level! But when I put that pride aside and heard him out, I asked him questions. I raised my concerns and suspicions. Are they wanting more land rights? Are we all going to get taxed? Is this a left wing, woke Marxist, takeover?? And more balanced questions like, is the Voice a proper representation of indigenous people? Is it the correct mechanism for change? My ex husband had a lot of answers but I needed to search it out for myself. I decided to research and gain a better understanding of constitutional law. I listened intently to the no campaigners loudest voices. Jacinta Price being one of them, who I respected. I could hear her concerns. I listened to other speakers and senators who are also concerned and opposed. I was convinced I should not vote yes. I decided to be a non voter. Even willing to pay a fine. I wasn't confident to vote yes but I was afflicted in my conscience voting no. So a non vote seemed to be the answer. Because I actually believed in a constitutional recognition of the indigenous. All I needed to understand was if the Voice to parliament was a good way to get it done. I listened to Marcia Langton, who helped frame the proposal and she actually answered some of my suspicians and questions. But it was when I listened to Noel Pearson that I decided to vote a certain and heartfelt yes. In this speech in particular, he takes us on a journey through our doubts and fears and ignorance if we dare to follow. I ended up riveted and genuinely praying that the voice is passed and that the majority of Australians will understand that a Constitutional recognition of the dispossessed First Nations peoples, with a body that practically represents them in perpetuity under the Constitution is a formal step in the right direction for true reconciliation, healing and progress for all Australians sharing this land and her wealth. It is bridging a gap. It is 'coming together after a great struggle' and it is a modest form of treaty between the descendents of the original occupiers and the successive generations of those earlier settlers, agreeing to help each other under the law. Whose law? The Constitution. The highest law in the land written in a time when aboriginals were dispossessed and economically crushed. They are still economically crushed without our economy which operates under our Constitution. A tiny minority of 3% can never regain their strength without us. They should of had a unique and distinct recognition in our original document, where our government agrees to hear them, uphold their cause, and where they also agree to benefit from the powers and prosperity of our government. This didn't happen. But an opportunity has come now. I pray ALL AUSTRALIANS will realise it.

[@johnmckenzie-rm3jh]

Yes bot, please GO away with ur sympathies 😮

[@Ray-wm8dz]

First Nations should have MORE rights, privileges and benefits than Second Nations. Second Nations should have MORE rights than Third Nations etc. The last to arrive should have the least rights. OR on the other hand, we could learn to treat ALL the many races in Australia EQUALLY with equal rights, privileges and benefits for all of us. We are all Australians and we should all be respected equally irrespective of whatever race we are. Our Constitution should reflect this. One person, one vote, one Australia, one people.

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

i like your sentiments. it's complicated. we have all been ripped off. most of my family came here in chains and not of there own volition and didn't go around hurting anyone. were never permitted to return to their homelands. our constituion is invalid. no government in australia has any standing. NONE. and we don't all live upsidedown on a spinning ball flying thru space. SATAN runs australia.

[@johnmckenzie-rm3jh]

U are a very scary people Noel an many of my migrant Aussies fear u an what u are capable of doing!?😢

[@tlb2970]

Vote no, simple

[@AdrianAdrian-sg2tj]

30 minutes of victimhood and crocodile tears... boooooooo

[@rikkwakeupwesternworld9874]

Who is Noel Pearson and who does he represent, it has never been clear. His anti-establishment views are well documented and why he attracts so much criticism. The various Land Councils, Cape York Partnership etc. are made up from many different factions and are not always open to everyone, it may depend on which tribe you belong to, who would have thought., racism within. The ideology within many of these organizations frequently does not match that of Mr. Pearson. He is not a full blood and carries an Anglo-Saxon name which may or may not sit well with some. All Land Councils etc. are funded by governments past and present, all have been unwilling to interfere in their running in case the 'racism card' is played...again! So they have Government funding with little or no accountability, whats not to like about that. Who does he actually represent? himself and like-minded others, questionable at best. He is a very clever radical, loud and underestimated by many, a champion all by himself, cunning, articulate and acutely aware which buttons to push within the present government to achieve a satisfactory outcome. A man of 'his own moment' which hopefully may end shortly as he recently stated he will "fall silent" if the "VOICE" is defeated, be prepared Mr. Pearson it will be!

[@serahoward9307]

Where are the comments about the unification of the Australian population with regard to this eminent constitutional disregard of the indigenous people’s right to be acknowledged as the first settlers of Australia? And, while we continue to disregard the obvious consequences that inevitably has undermined and indistinguishably depraved the indigenous people’s constitutional and basic fundamental inclusion within society and the law, this misfortune will still continue to lack the appropriate recognition and the resolve it deserves. In hindsight, unfortunately the ramifications of this unconscionable ignorance has and is also still affecting, to a great extent, all nationalities that emigrated to Australia after the English colonisation and settlement, particularly in the absence of any proper recourse, to date. This common disregard is a natural narrative as to why the early settlers of my own generation being that I was born in Australia by parents who had immigrated to this country at around 1958-1960, and in due course had became Australian citizens. And, at which time they were virtually too afraid to indulge in any criticism of racial discrimination, at any time, purely in order to protect their interest while they did their best to provide for their families in a foreign land, which in essence was the sole purpose for their emigration, in the first instance. Thus, as a consequence, this obvious silence and alienation that in reality is still quite apparent today has and is ultimately denying the opportunities of all migrants and their offspring to achieve the best possible outcomes in life without the indiscriminate racial barriers that, in most cases, is inflicted against those who in their frustration may manifest enough courage to speak out to expose the unlawful transgressions and the misfeasance of the governing authorities. Where is our compassion for those who are ultimately left underprivileged by the psychological scars of a generation of unaccountably that ultimately has since to attain the upmost dignity, respect and restitution as permissible by law? GOD bless all those who have suffered as a consequence of this unconscionable failure by the political and legal system to distinguish and mandate the appropriate action and resolution of this unceasing injustice. DennyP.