News Article - Multicultural groups are pledging their support for the Voice, but some people say they still know 'zero' about it
120 organisations have signed a joint resolution to "steadfastly support" the Indigenous Voice to Parliament by voting Yes in the referendum to be held later this year.
The joint resolution describes the constitutional Voice as "modest, practical and fair", and has been signed by multiple Indian and Chinese community organisations, as well as Sri Lankan, Italian, Irish, Iranian, Greek, Vietnamese, Filipino, Sikh, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist and Pacific Islander community groups.
Fethi Mansouri, director of the Alfred Deakin Institute for citizenship and globalisation, said any confusion, uncertainty or lack of understanding would benefit the No campaign, with voters deferring to the status quo.
We know from the Australian Electoral Commission that usually the highest proportion of the informal votes tend to be in places like Western Sydney, where they have high proportions of migrant communities and usually the older generations," he said.
He said many migrant communities would be "natural allies" with Indigenous people as they shared struggles with marginalisation, lack of representation, racism and inclusion, while also recognising the deep and spiritual connection Indigenous Australians had with the land.
"Multicultural Australia is extremely diverse and there is no one single strategy that would work for all of them."