The Board, Management and Staff of the Polly Farmer Foundation Aboriginal Corporation support a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.
For over 25 years, the Polly Farmer Foundation has played a leading role in empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) school students to dream big and follow their dreams, to aspire to succeed at school, and to achieve their academic potential and seek meaningful and leadership career opportunities.
The successes that our participating students have had with their education journeys are what we want for all Aboriginal children today, and for future generations to come.
A YES vote will enable Aboriginal peoples to play active roles in decisions that directly impact on individuals, families and communities.
A YES vote on the Voice to Parliament will directly lead to better education outcomes for Aboriginal people. As Polly said:
"Education is the key for Aboriginal people to take their rightful place in modern Australian society. Unless we rectify the imbalance in opportunities currently available, young Aboriginal people will continue to be frustrated and unable to develop their talents to make their rightful contribution to the economy and society… and we will all be poorer for that. "
We encourage all our participating and alumni students, their families and support networks, to embrace this critical period of contemplation and to be part of making history. We hope that everyone, of voting age and young people, will seek information about the Referendum and engage in meaningful conversations – if we all do, Australia will be all the better for it.
To hear more about why we support a YES vote in the Voice to Parliament Referendum, please view the below recording of our Polly Farmer Foundation ‘Voices to Parliament’ panel livestream which aired on Wednesday 16 August 2023.
Link to Polly Farmer Foundation 'Voices to Parliament' Livestream recording here > https://youtu.be/PDa7BzcUOPc.
Panel members:
- Mandy Gadsdon | Polly Farmer Foundation Chair
- Kim Farmer | Polly Farmer Foundation Vice Chair and daughter of Polly Farmer
- Fred Chaney AO | Polly Farmer Foundation founding and former Board member
- Denice Kickett | Polly Farmer Foundation Alumni parent and community leader
- Phil Farmer | Polly Farmer Foundation Alumni
