Trekking 3,000 kilometres from Uluru to Canberra in support of the Voice referendum
It was not my plan to do a long journey in 2023, but Australia stands on the edge of history when, later this year, we vote in a referendum to give our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.
'We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.'
So concludes the Uluru Statement From The Heart. A Voice, along with Treaty and Truth are key requests made in the Statement.
I plan to take up this invite and walk the approximately 3,000 kilometres from Uluru to Parliament House in Canberra. From where, 5 years ago, our First Nations people generously issued the invite, to the place where ultimately the Voice will be heard. I plan to arrive at Parliament House in Canberra on the day of the referendum at the end of a journey I’ve called Take Heart. A journey that will take me perhaps 100 days.
I am taking the message of the Uluru Statement from the heart of Australia, engaging with people en route and online, hearing their views, listening, understanding, yarning. I’m inviting you to join me along the way, for an hour perhaps, a day or more. Perhaps you will follow your own journey by whatever means in support of a Yes vote?
I hope, through Take Heart, to amplify the message as best I can to encourage a positive result in the Voice referendum.
'Take Heart - to gain courage and confidence, to begin to feel better and more hopeful'
Take Heart will undoubtedly challenge me – physically and psychologically. Every long journey I have done always has. But this is nothing like the challenges our First Nations people have endured nor indeed the challenge of getting a Yes vote in the referendum.
We have a golden opportunity, in the year I celebrate 60 years on this planet, an immigrant to Australia a mere 30 years ago, to celebrate over 60,000 years of First Nations cultures in Australia with a strong, positive step on the long road toward reconciliation.
A huge thanks to Kara Matters, a Noongar artist from WA, for the Take Heart logo.
Find out more about the journey »
MY ROUTE
Thanks to Your Adventure Maps for drawing up this excellent outline map.
From Uluru, that wildly beautiful monolith in the heart of Australia, my journey will trend south east for 3,000 kilometres. I’ll pass through some 22 traditional lands, 5 states and territories, traverse at least 3 deserts and cross the catchments of our largest rivers.
For more than half of its distance, Take Heart will cross some of Australia’s most remote and arid country. Walking 500 kilometres across the 1,000 dunes of the Simpson Desert, the world’s largest parallel dune sand desert, will be a major challenge in itself, an expedition within an expedition, towing a cart with 150kg of water and supplies.
A handful of remote, tiny communities will be visited in this first half of the journey: Kulgera, Finke, Innamincka. Then, as the journey progresses, I slowly move toward more populated country, looking forward to meeting more people, locals and travellers alike. Through Tibooburra, White Cliffs then crossing the Barka/Darling River at Wilcannia. Onward to Ivanhoe and down through the Riverina, to Cootamundra before reaching the Murrumbidgee River and the final leg to Canberra, our capital, and a finish at Parliament House.
THE VOICE
A First Nations Voice to Parliament is the first reform called for in the Uluru Statement. This is a Constitutionally-enshrined body of First Nations with a direct line to Federal Parliament, able to influence laws and policies that affect First Nations communities.
This is a Voice to Parliament, not within the Parliament and emphatically not a third chamber in Parliament. A Voice would be a body to advise on law and policy to the Parliament and the government of the day on issues directly impacting First Nations people.
THE REFERENDUM
The current Australian Government, elected in May 2022, committed to holding a referendum on a Voice to Parliament in this term of government. The referendum is scheduled to be held in late 2023. Only when the date is known can I know my departure date from Uluru, timed so I have enough time (hopefully!) to reach Canberra on referendum day!
A referendum is required to be held for any change to our constitution, that came into being in 1901. It is always a challenge to get a referendum question passed as it requires a 50% majority of electors from all states and territories AND a 50% majority of electors in a majority of States. Given there are six States, then at least four must have a majority vote. (Note that the votes of electors in the 2 Territories of the ACT and NT count toward the national majority only).
The draft proposed question in the referendum is: “Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?”
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
If you're keen to join me to walk an hour, a day or more of my Take Heart journey then please get in touch info@huwkingston.com
For my journey and message to be successful I need help in various areas. With admin, PR/Media and social media, logistics, support along the way. If you can support Take Heart in some way please let me know info@huwkingston.com
Inspired to make your own journey to Parliament House (or elsewhere) in support of the Voice? Whether you plan to walk, ride or drive, I’d love to hear from you
As an Ambassador for Save the Children I continue to support their Our Yarning Indigenous literacy project. Our Yarning was the focus of my fundraising during my Alpine Odyssey journey in 2022. To donate to this wonderful initiative you can do so HERE.
Last year my Alpine Odyssey journey was on the heights of Australia, this year it is from the heart.
Follow my Take Heart journey on my Facebook and Instagram pages and I’ll be sending out occasional newsletters. You can opt out of these at any time.
Looking forward to it!
Cheers, Huw Kingston
