00:00 In just six weeks time, Australians will vote on whether to enshrine an Indigenous voice
00:06 into the Constitution.
00:08 The permanent body will represent First Nations people and give advice to the government on
00:13 laws and policies that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
00:18 Here in the southeast corner of New South Wales, there's a number of prominent Indigenous
00:22 communities that reside here, from the Thawa people in the south of the region near Eden,
00:29 to further north, Wabunja people in the Batemans Bay area.
00:32 Narrago people from the Snowy Mountains also reside here closer to the coast.
00:36 The southeast region is also home to a lot of older people, a lot of retirees and a lot
00:41 of working families with young children.
00:44 I'm on Durangunch country in the town of Bega and we caught up with locals on their thoughts
00:49 on the referendum now that a date has been set.
00:52 I'm voting yes.
00:54 I believe it's a good thing, why should they be ignored, which is not hurt.
00:59 It doesn't give them any power, it just gives them a voice to be heard to speak in Parliament.
01:05 That's all.
01:06 It's now six weeks away, the referendum.
01:10 What do you know about the voice?
01:12 I know it's to give Indigenous people a voice in Parliament, I believe.
01:21 I think that could be a good way to go.
01:26 We're all Australians.
01:27 I'm not saying I'm going to vote yes, but I think it's important that everybody in Australia
01:36 has a say.
01:37 There's no harm to be done by that and I think they need to be heard and there's enough information
01:44 for me to be able to make an informed decision on that at this stage.
01:48 Since you're voting yes, if it doesn't pass, how would you feel?
01:51 I'd feel quite devastated, to be honest.
01:54 I think we have an opportunity to correct some wrongs in a similar way to the apology.
02:01 I think this is an important moment in history and I think we should all take that opportunity.
02:06 Locally there have been a number of active yes groups forming public meetings and events,
02:12 but there hasn't been specifically an organised no group so far.
02:18 But with that said, now that a date has been set, campaigners on both sides have six weeks
02:23 to sway undecided voters.
02:26 For the referendum to pass, it needs the majority of votes nationally, as well as the majority
02:31 of votes in at least four of six states.
02:33 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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