'RIGHT now, the most important change to which I am dedicating most waking hours is the Voice to Parliament.
Ms Watt said entrenched problems of health, education, low life expectancy and poverty in Aboriginal communities could only be solved by harnessing the knowledge and expertise of Aboriginal people.
“And yet, time and time again, that advice has been ignored,” she said.
“And so that’s why we said it needs to go into the Constitution, because it needed to go somewhere where it just can’t be taken away again, it can’t be ignored and dismissed.”
Despite some public polling that shows support for the Voice slipping, Ms Watt remains confident the referendum will succeed. She said she was filled with great hope and optimism that her local neighbourhood in Brunswick will be a strong yes vote, but also from multicultural communities across the northern metropolitan region.
Many people she meets who are initially reluctant to say they will vote yes are often wanting to be educated about what difference a Voice would make, she said.
“There’s a genuine interest in what’s the question before us and what it will mean for First Peoples and I’m trying to not get myself distracted by people sowing division and driving a really dangerous message that will ultimately hurt the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia.
“I am renewed by people in our community who want to reset the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
“They want a true and just and fair future for our First Peoples. They want the truth to be told about the story of our nation.
“And they want a moment of pride.”
“There is an enormous responsibility that I carry to be the best that I can be for not only me and my community of the Northern Metropolitan region, but for the young people who look up and see a woman that looks like them, that has the same skin color as them.”
MS Watt admits to frustration with the argument that the Voice does not go far enough in restoring sovereignty to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and a treaty should come first. She said the opportunity now was too great to be missed because of “a mistaken view that this is not perfect”.
Ms Watt said there was not a day that went by that she didn’t reflect on both the responsibility and the privilege she has to serve as the only Aboriginal member in the Legislative Council.
“There is an enormous responsibility that I carry to be the best that I can be for not only me and my community of the Northern Metropolitan region, but for the young people who look up and see a woman that looks like them, that has the same skin color as them,” she said.
“That has a story of overcoming adversity, like them, and story of overcoming some enormous odds. So that rests with me every day. And it just also drives me to be the best that I can be, frankly.”
Extract from Article published on July 19th 2023 by Mark Phillips from the Brunswick Voice.
See link to full article here: https://brunswickvoice.com.au/this-is-unfinished-business-for-me/
