Thousands of Australians gathered on Sunday in support of the Yes vote for the upcoming Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum later this year. The rally was organised by the campaign group Yes23, which is run by Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition. The group reported that over 20,000 people were in attendance at events across Australia, with the largest gathering in Sydney with approximately 5,000 attendees.

The referendum will ask the Australian people if there should be a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice that may make representations to parliament on issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The campaigns for both yes and no to the question are set to intensify in the lead-up to the referendum.

Minister for Indigenous Affairs Linda Burney was in attendance at the event in Brisbane and said:

Today is proof that thousands of Yes volunteers are energised and set to ramp-up efforts in their local communities in the coming months whether that be doorknocking, handing out pamphlets at shopping centres or speaking at information sessions… People can expect to see a lot more of our campaign between now and referendum day, with plenty of opportunities for people to engage and learn about why supporting a Voice to Parliament will lead to more practical outcomes on the ground.

The Australian Senate recently passed the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023, on 19 June. This means that Australians will officially be set to vote in the referendum later this year. The date for the referendum on the Voice to Parliament is still yet to be announced by the Australian government.