John Farnham backs Indigenous Voice to Parliament: How Australian singer could save the Yes campaign

The Yes for The Voice campaign has found a public figure in legendary singer John Farnham as it desperately tries to win over voters.

Farnham, 74, provided his signature song You’re The Voice for an official campaign ad, which was well received by the Yes side and its supporters.

“This song changed my life. I can only hope this can help, in some way, to change the lives of our First Nations people for the better,” the singer said in a statement.

Tim Wheatley, the son of Farnham manager Glenn Wheatley, added: “Win or lose this referendum, this song will forever be on the right side of history.”

The Yes campaign was forced to drop celebrities in a humiliating turnaround earlier this year over fears Australians don’t like to be criticized.

The campaign slowly lost support as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Linda Burney failed to turn the tide with their political rhetoric.

Disturbing poll results indicate the Voice is on course for a referendum defeat, but the addition of Farnham has renewed hope that the singer’s charm and attractiveness could turn the tide and attract more supporters towards the Yes camp.

Farnham is considered one of Australia’s most iconic singers. The superstar has won several music awards, being named Australian of the Year in 1987 and inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2003.

It seems that Farnham and the use of his song in advertising helped to recognize the importance of an indigenous voice.

The move by Farnham, who has remained relatively apolitical throughout his music career, also drew strong backlash from his fans and other Australians online.

“It is a very sad day today to hear John Farnham allow his song to be used for the YES campaign,” one woman wrote.

“Selling you to a divisive political position. »

“I’ve been a fan of yours for decades. You have just sold your soul to half Australia. Shame on you.’

Another said: “I thought the song ‘You’re The Voice’ was for all Aussies.

“Disappointed that John Farnham decided to make this issue controversial and political.”

“You are not my voice John Farnham….” added a third.

“John Farnham has given permission for his song ‘You’re The Voice’ to be used by the #VoteYes23 campaign to promote racial division in Australia,” another wrote.

“He actually just lost at least 60% of his audience.”

The 74-year-old singer said he hopes his song in the ad “could help, in some way, to change the lives of our First Nations people for the better.”

The move from Farnham, who has remained relatively apolitical throughout his career, drew strong backlash from his fans and other Australians online.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton slammed the Yes campaign over the publicity, dryly noting the song’s lyrics could backfire during an interview on Sky News.

“In a way, it’s the appropriate theme song for the Yes campaign, because remember the key phrase in the lyrics is, you know, ‘you are the Voice, try to understand it’,” he said. he declares.

“Honestly, I don’t think most Australians understand that. And they want to be informed.

Mr Dutton accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of being “sly and devious” in withholding information until after the October 14 referendum, which will decide whether the Voice is constitutionally established.

‘The problem is not that artists and people in affluent neighborhoods support Voice or support it, it’s that the Prime Minister will not support the public in his decision-making,’ Mr Dutton argued.

“He is deliberately withholding information and withholding that information until after the election. He has been very clear that he will give you the details after the vote, which is quite remarkable.”

Mr Dutton said if the October 14 referendum fails he would hold a referendum to constitutionally recognize Indigenous Australians without creating a body.

Farnham and the use of his song in publicity helped raise awareness of the importance of an indigenous voice in Parliament (pictured, Anthony Albanese speaks to the media after Pat Farmer’s arrival at the Opera House in Sydney as part of its Run for the Voice campaign).

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said Farnham’s song was unintentionally suited for the Yes campaign.

Others praised Farnham for supporting the Yes side.

“Despite the extreme intimidation and viciousness of the No campaign aimed at anyone who uses their voice to help others find theirs, Farnham has lent his Australian anthem, You’re The Voice, in support of The Voice!” one of them said.

“It’s great that John Farnham has allowed his song ‘You’re The Voice’ to be used to showcase the YES CAMPAIGN,” commented a second.

Another wrote: “Brilliant news about John Farnham allowing the Yes campaign to use his song ‘You’re the voice’.

The campaign ad featuring the iconic Farnham hit shows a family watching historic Australian moments on television.

These include Cathy Freeman who won gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generation, John Howard’s gun reforms after the Port Arthur Massacre and the passage of same-sex marriage in 2016.

It also features the government returning Uluru to its traditional owners in 1985, Australia’s 1983 America’s Cup victory and the 1992 Eddie Mabo lawsuit that paved the way for Indigenous land rights.

Uluru’s release announced the partnership with the singer on social media: “Today we are launching our new commercial in partnership with John Farnham AO.”

“Using the nation’s unofficial anthem, You’re the Voice, as a backing track, Farnham lends his vocals to The Voice in support of the YES vote.”

The campaign ad will air on TV, social media and other digital platforms from Sunday.

The advert shows a family watching historic Australian moments on TV, including Cathy Freeman winning gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as You’re The Voice explodes.

The campaign ad will air on TV, social media and other digital platforms from Sunday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday that the referendum would take place on October 14.

Mr Albanese has long maintained his faith in the success of the referendum, despite opinion polls showing that a marginal majority’s support for The Voice has been waning in recent months as public debate has grown heated and more divisive.

“I think people are going to start focusing more. I expect many Australians won’t focus until the last few weeks,” Albanese told reporters. “The majority of Australians will respond that there is nothing to lose here, only benefits.”

To succeed, the Yes campaign will need a majority of Australians and a majority in at least four of the six states. Only eight of 44 referendums have been successful in Australia’s 122-year history – all with bipartisan support.

It comes as the Prime Minister faces plummeting support on Voice to Parliament, a poll revealing voters link his handling of the issue to his “skill and judgment”.

Labor’s vote in the primaries has fallen to just four percentage points ahead of the coalition, according to the latest Resolve Political Monitor poll.

Support is waning both for Mr Albanese (pictured with Malarndirri McCarthy, Warren Snowdon, Linda Burney and Senator Pat Dodson) and for the Indigenous voice in Parliament.

Even though Mr Albanese remains Mr Dutton’s preferred leader, the Prime Minister’s latest results are the lowest in the Resolve polls since winning the federal election 15 months ago. Nine newspapers reported.

A double whammy for Mr Albanese, support for The Voice also continues to decline ahead of the October referendum.

Support for the indigenous voice in parliament has fallen from 63 percent a year ago to just 46 percent last month.

The poll results indicated that the Voice project enjoys majority support in Victoria and Tasmania.

But he faces majority opposition in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.