Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Twist as Yes campaign rolls out stunning ad as part of a four-week ad blitz after horror polls

The Yes campaign for Indigenous Voice to Parliament has launched a new advert as part of a major TV blitz ahead of the referendum.

A young Indigenous boy appears in the 30-second ad, asking Australians to think about a series of simple questions about his future.

“Will I grow up in a country that hears my voice? Will I live as long as other Australians? asks the little boy.

“Will I be able to go to a good school? Will I be able to learn the language of my people? Will I be seen beyond the sporting field, recognized by the decision-makers of our country?

“Yes it’s possible.”

Now that Parliament has sat for the final time before the referendum, Yes campaign supporters say it is the perfect opportunity to remind Australians that they believe this is not a political issue .

Now that Parliament has sat for the final time before the referendum, campaign members say it is the perfect opportunity to remind Australians that they believe this is not a political issue.

Despite dwindling support in polls showing every state trending towards a no vote, the campaign is still confident in its ability to achieve victory, relying on non-‘soft’ voters and Australians who are not still engaged in the debate.

Soft no voters will be targeted over the next four weeks, and there will be a concerted attempt to educate members of the public who are not yet engaged in the debate.

Although the Yes23 campaign has been active on social media and run advertisements in the past, it is significantly ramping up its efforts between now and the referendum.

It’s a change of pace for the campaign, which initially focused on celebrity endorsements before moving to sharing the stories of everyday people.

The advert will run alongside Uluru’s hit You’re the Voice Dialogue advert featuring John Farnham’s famous song.

Campaign manager Dean Parkin says the advert is a powerful reminder of what Voice to Parliament will be capable of.

He asks, “Will I be able to go to a good school?” Will I be able to learn the language of my people? Will I be seen beyond the sporting field, recognized by the decision-makers of our country?

The advert will run alongside Uluru Dialogue’s hit You’re the Voice advert featuring John Farnham’s famous song.

“This advert tells Australians why a successful upvote is the best chance we have to tackle the entrenched disadvantage Indigenous people live under,” Mr Parkin said.

“Hope and optimism that the nation can finally come together and make Australia a better, fairer country continues to be at the heart of the Yes campaign.”

Mr Parkin and the Yes23 campaign hope the ad will help Australians understand that Voice seeks to “better address long-standing issues” as an advisory body.

The little boy asks questions that cover the intended scope of The Voice, as first explained by Australia’s Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Linda Burney: health, education, employment and housing.

Ms Burney says the advisory body will “have a full plate” from day one and will not be limited to advising on these four areas of concern.

“Unlike the government, it will not be distracted by three-year election cycles. He will plan for the next generation, not the next term. The goal will be to create a better future for the next generation,” she said in July.

Ms Burney has pledged to work closely with the Voice in her role as minister and will ask it to help “resolve the most pressing issues”.

“When I meet The Voice for the first time, I will say: bring me your ideas on how to stop our people from committing suicide,” she said.

The percentage of Australians in favor of the referendum has fallen for the fifth consecutive month and since the last poll, Victoria has moved to a No majority, leaving Tasmania the only state remaining in the Yes camp.

“Bring me your ideas on how to help our children go to school and thrive. Bring me your ideas on how we ensure our crowd lives strong, healthy lives. How to ensure more people have jobs – with the independence and purpose that entails.

“How we strengthen culture and language. How we better support families. How to keep our 65,000 years of culture alive and make it stronger.

Ms Burney said she hoped a voice in Parliament would target the “systemic and structural disadvantage” of Indigenous Australians in a speech to the National Press Club in July.

She referenced statistics from Closing the Gap which demonstrate that First Nations people face higher rates of incarceration and higher risks of dying at younger ages.

Mr Parkin said: “We are highlighting how a voice to Parliament is a simple and practical way to improve outcomes in areas such as Indigenous life expectancy, health, education and employment. »

“Indigenous Australians have called on all Australians to listen to them on how to solve the problems they face in their communities. This is exactly what a Voice will do.

The advert will air across Yes23 TV, print, radio and digital channels this weekend.

For the referendum to be successful, a majority of Australians in a majority of states must vote yes. Support for Yes has fallen from over 60 per cent to 40 per cent or less, partly due to comments made by those behind the Voice to Parliament and the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

The most recent Resolve Political Monitor survey showed that 43 percent of voters supported a plan to enshrine Voice in the Constitution, a drop of 20 percentage points from last year.