The ‘Yes’ campaign has kicked off in the wake of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese finally announcing 14 October 2023 as the date that Australia will head to the polls to decide on whether an Indigenous Voice to Parliament is to be enshrined in the constitution.

A new spot from the Uluru Dialogue, creators of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, is the biggest referendum ad thus far and features the John Farhnam classic ‘You’re The Voice’, even adopting its title. 

In the emotional ad that runs for just shy of three minutes, significant events in Australian history are observed through the lens of a multigenerational family watching from home. This year’s referendum subject is positioned as the next step in advancing Australian society.

“Today we face a question about the future of our nation,” the ad states. “How we respond will make history.”

Joining past First Nations progress – the ‘Yes’ campaign

Major events in First Nations history are featured, beginning with the landmark referendum of 1967 that included First Nations people in population counting for constitutional purposes.

Amongst others, featured events of national importance in the lives of Australia’s First Nations people include:

• Eddie Mabo’s legal battles that led to the creation of native title. 
• The handback of Uluru to traditional owners.
• The national apology delivered by then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2008.
• Sydney’s Walk for Reconciliation over the Harbour Bridge.

Threaded throughout are other nationally significant events, from the 1996 gun law reforms to the same-sex marriage plebiscite of 2017 and a series of bushfires in between.

“The ad showcases an extraordinary number of incredible decisions that we’ve made as a nation that we were anxious about, but actually just led to a better Australia. That’s what the ad is about,” says Uluru Dialogue co-chair Professor Megan Davis. 

Read about how the AEC is combating referendum misinformation through a partnership with Snapchat here.