yes campaign – Sounds of Oz

John Farnham’s “You’re the Voice” might be the official anthem for the Yes campaign, but Benn Gunn’s latest single is a worthy unofficial option. “Let Their Voice Be Heard” is a plea for all Australians to come together as one and vote yes in the upcoming Voice referendum.

“It’s long overdue that we are proud of our indigenous Australians,” Benn enthused. “They’re the longest surviving culture on earth which makes them the greatest survivors in human history.”

I love how inclusive this song is. It’s a celebration of the notion of moving forward as a society, doing better because everyone is heard. The press release for this single explains that the feedback the Voice to Parliament could provide has the potential to save Australians hundreds of millions of dollars. The Federal Government currently invests around $4.5 billion dollars a year on Indigenous initiatives including health care and other essential services. However, the distrust some Indigenous Australians have of governments stemming from harmful policies of the past mean that even programs with excellent intentions can struggle to gain widespread acceptance in the communities they’re trying to help. With Indigenous elders offering their feedback on new policies and programs, we’re likely to see greater acceptance and outcomes. Surely that benefits us all. As Benn Gunn sings, “It’s time to come together and make a brand new start.”

Image used with permission from Checked Label Services

Much has been made of John Farnham lending his smash hit “You’re the Voice” to the Yes campaign for the Voice referendum. And quite rightly so. John is an icon and his endorsement might just be enough to encourage some uncertain members of the community to vote yes. But he’s not the only local artist who’s getting behind the Yes campaign. GANGgajang have also offered their support, rerecording their ‘90s hit “Hundreds of Languages” with William Barton and Jack Thompson as a new single, “Speak to Me”.

GANGgajang were pioneers in the Australian music scene, campaigning for the rights of the First Nations community long before the term “woke” even existed. The process of creating this song stretches back to conversations they had with members of First Nations communities back in 1989. Now, they say, is the time for everyone to listen to what those communities are saying. They note that in 2012, before he passed, their friend Uncle Jimmy Little wrote to every politician in the Federal government asking them to listen to Indigenous people on matters that impact them. Now more than a decade later, they say they “stand with Uncle Jimmy and say Yes to the Voice.”

Image source: PeterTea @ Flickr

Tag: yes campaign

Benn Gunn Shows Yes Support With “Let Their Voice Be Heard”

GANGgajang Support Yes Campaign With “Speak To Me”