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Mayor throwing support behind Voice to Parliament referendum

CANTERBURY Bankstown Council has taken a “definitive stance” to support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said that as he travelled around the city and engaged with residents, he heard some very strong arguments from both the yes and no sides.
“What I am hearing, is that the vast majority of people believe in and support recognising, listening and respecting our First Nations brothers and sisters … and I respect everyone’s views,” he said.
“Leadership is about listening and strong leadership is about making decisions that you know in your heart are the right thing to do … and sometimes, just sometimes, not everyone will be in agreement.
“It’s time our council showed leadership and made a definitive stance, for all of us to have our voice heard, as representatives of our community.
“I stand for reinforcing our commitment to the First Nations people and the values we hold as
an organisation.”
The former Bankstown Council established a Local Reconciliation Action Plan in 2012, the first council to do so.
The council also has in place an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee, which the Mayor said you could say was our ‘Voice’, a First Nations Youth Group set up so the younger generation could connect with their culture.
Deputy Mayor Clare Raffan who has seen “first hand” the gap between First Nations people and non First Nations people, was “very proud” to be part of one of the first councils to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and Voice to Parliament.
“We should continue with this good work in honouring our First Nations people who want to be heard and they want to be asked what is best for them,” she said.