The Uluru Statement from the Heart has launched History is Calling – a referendum education campaign where First Nations leaders and communities urge Australians to support a First Nations Voice to Parliament.
Created by The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song, the campaign aims to garner support for a referendum and invites the nation to change the course of history, so that First Nations peoples can finally have a say in policies and laws that affect them.
Rolled out across press, radio and OOH in every state, Australians are invited to walk together in a movement for a better future.
Professor Megan Davis, Balnaves Chair in Constitutional Law at UNSW, Uluru Dialogue Co-Chair, and the first person to read the Statement, said: “The Australian Constitution was meant to be changed. The referendum mechanism empowers all Australians to work together to change the nation, as they did in 1967.
“The History is Calling campaign reaffirms the opportunity here for all Australians to protect a First Nations Voice to Parliament in the Australian Constitution.”
Pat Anderson AO, Co-Chair of the Uluru Dialogue, spoke of the need for Australians to support First Nations Peoples in this once-in-a-generation chance to do what the 1967 referendum didn’t do.
“This campaign is 60,000 years of the world’s oldest continuous culture, in more than 300 languages, calling to finally be given a Voice enshrined in the Australian Constitution. This is nation building; it’s our history that’s calling…
“First Nations Peoples have been fighting for a space in democratic life for generations, and to this day, we still have no say in the laws and policies which affect us. Now, we have the opportunity to change the course of history and create better outcomes for our communities and all of Australia.
“It’s plain as day to most Australians that politicians and bureaucrats are not closing the gap. For example, I’ve dedicated five decades of my life to Aboriginal health and we have not achieved any shift in entrenched disadvantage and poor health outcomes. This is primarily because we are not asked for input and don’t have a seat at the table.”
The Monkeys Co-founder & Group Chief Creative Officer, Scott Nowell, said: “It’s vitally important that First Nations leaders are given a Voice to Australian Parliament and have the power to influence and inform the laws and policies that affect their communities.
“We encourage all Australians to unite in their support to help change the course of history for a better, fairer future.”
‘History is Calling’ is a national education campaign that will roll out across May and June.
Campaign Credits:
Creative Agency: The Monkeys, part of Accenture Song
Co-founder & Group CEO: Mark Green
Co-founder & Group Chief Creative Officer: Scott Nowell
Chief Creative Officer: Tara Ford
Managing Director: Matt Michael
General Manager: Kezia Quinn
Creative Director: Benn Sutton
Creatives: Dennis Koutoulogenis, Jake Rusznyak, Aïcha Wijland & Rubini Gunaratnam
Design Lead: Eva Godeny
Designers: Mel Watson & Ayusha Dallakoti
Chief Strategy Officer: Fabio Buresti
Planning Director: Charlotte Marshall
Head of Production: Penny Brown
Senior Producer: Katie Bassett
Lead Digital Producer: Tamara Wohl
Senior Business Director: Ashley Robertson
Business Executive: Sophie Ingall
Media Agency: OMD
Head of Strategy: Peita Pacey
Strategy Director: Rosy Blyther
Senior Trader: Harry Hooper
PR Agency: Porter Novelli
Client Partner and Aboriginal Affairs Lead: Madison West
Consultant: Dan Speake