Still Yes: Shire Community Unites For Referendum Anniversary

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Family and friends of Yes Sutherland Shire showed strong support last weekend for continued solidarity with First Nations on the third anniversary of the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.

At Como Pleasure Grounds on Gweagal Country, the community shared an informal picnic and BBQ lunch.

Mary Hayman organised many people to add their signature to a STILL YES sign to show “ongoing support for treaty making, truth telling, first Nations justice, and continuing the conversation and taking meaningful actions as allies”.

Aunty Dolly has attended each of the anniversary events, and is very passionate about “mob” and coming together as a community. “I think community is something that makes us who we are, especially on Dharawal Country. It is great to see the continuing support from everybody here that was involved in the Yes campaign” she said.

One attendee commented that they “just wanted to support the Indigenous community, to let them know that there are people who are there for them, even though the No vote was so disappointing”.

During the campaign in 2023, hundreds of people walked from Como across the Como-Oatley bridge with Thomas Mayo to the St George and Sutherland Shire area boundaries. In the middle of the bridge they met people from the St George Yes campaign who had set out from Oatley. Everyone signed the huge YES sign, committing themselves to the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Yes Referendum Campaign.

See the Uluru Statement from the Heart here.

Photo credit: Aldo Sesta and Toni Downes