The gathering at Punchbowl Community Centre, was co-hosted by the centre and the Canterbury Bankstown Harmony Group with the theme ‘Hope and Tolerance’.
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Tony Burke, along with Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Muhamad, gave keynote speeches both reflecting on the similarities among people of faith and describing a constitutionally guaranteed Voice as “modest, practical and fair”.
“I would urge our local community to vote yes – as a multicultural nation,” Mr Burke said.
Chairperson of CB Harmony group, Cr Khodr Saleh said: “As leaders of diverse multicultural community organisations, we endorse the Uluru Statement and its call for a First Nations voice guaranteed by the Constitution”.
“By saying ‘Yes’ to changing our constitution to devote an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, we will accept an invitation from First Nations Australians to walk together to build a better future,” Cr Saleh said.
“To say it’s time to change is an understatement. We finally have an opportunity to change this, and we cannot let it pass.”
