Book Club - The Voice to Parliament Handbook

Final Draft - Great Conversations

Today I’ve brought you a book that goes to the heart of our country.

It’s called The Voice to Parliament Handbook and it has been written by Thomas Mayo and Kerry O’Brien.

Thomas Mayo is a Larrakia man who has written extensively about the Uluru Statement including Finding the Heart of the Nation, and Finding Our Heart, a book for young readers with illustrations by Blak Douglas.

Kerry O’Brien is an award winning journalist whose is known for his work on 7.30, Lateline and Four Corners.

Now this is not our usual fare of Australian Literature that I have each week for book club. But I wanted to bring this particular book in because the discussion around The Voice is so very important and this book offers a straightforward exploration of what is ‘The Voice’, how we got here and what it means to have this opportunity to vote in a referendum.

Each week when I present Final Draft on Saturday mornings, I talk about how these stories we read, that they are the stories that make us who we are. Stories have the power to reflect our world and in reading them; in taking them to heart or roundly rejecting them we in turn shape our world.

The Voice to Parliament Handbook doesn’t deal in abstractions though. It very clearly lays out the history, the movement to the voice and the issues that impact us as we prepare for a vote later this year. In a very real sense this book is part of a story that will shape who all of us are. So don’t we owe to ourselves to do the work, to read the information and make sure when we vote, we vote with as much information as possible.

The Voice to Parliament Handbook is a slim volume, clocking in at just under a hundred pages. It’s inexpensive too (I saw it online for just twelve dollars). The goal seemingly to make this information as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. With all the shouting and political arguments, not to mention the seemingly contradictory misinformation out there this is a wonderful opportunity to get information from respected writers.

Each chapter of the book opens up a facet of the history, journey and future of The Voice.

The book begins with a transcript of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. This powerful document is a must hear for all. The book takes us on a journey through the history of the struggle for First Nations peoples to have an effective voice and to ensure it is heard.

Later chapters describe for readers ‘what is a referendum?’ The purpose and mechanics of the vote. Many of the frequently asked, or accused questions are laid out to debunk myths and misinformation. We are also treated to eminent scholars including Professor Fiona Stanley and Professor Marcia Langton discussing the practical implications of the Voice for supporting communities and closing the gap.

This book is an invitation to everyone out there who is wondering about the voice or is perhaps feeling like they need more information to give to their loved ones. As we listen to opponents of the voice run a scare campaign behind the slogan “If you don’t know, vote no”, this book claps back with “If you don’t know, take the time to educate yourself”.

I’ve got my copy and I’m going to pass it along to whoever wants to find out more. Many people will do the same and I’d challenge all you booklovers, you lovers of knowledge and those of you who want to find out, go and get a copy of The Voice to Parliament Handbook by Thomas Mayo and Kerry O’Brien. When history is made later this year it will help you to understand why this is such an important step forward for all of us.