Dean Parkin: I invite Western Australians to come and talk with us about the Yes Campaign

Something I know about Australians, for all our imperfections, is our unwavering support for one another – our willingness to lend a hand to a mate.

That’s why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are turning to the Australian people, directly in the form of a referendum, to help us build a brighter future for now and generations to come.

In about six weeks, on October 14, Australians will have the opportunity to vote in that referendum.

I’m 42 years old and anybody younger than me has never voted in a referendum. That’s how long it has been since the last one and how uncommon they are.

There has been a lot of noise over the last few months and I know there are some Western Australians who are still looking for a bit more information about what they will be voting for.

So let’s walk through it. Australians will be asked whether we should alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

This Voice will be an advisory body, advising Parliament on areas such as health, housing, jobs and education.

It will help ensure better outcomes and less waste, because Indigenous people will be given a say on the programs and policies that directly affect them.

It’s an opportunity for us to say enough to the status quo. A status quo that has us treading water or moving backwards on most of the Closing the Gap targets. It’s clear we need to try something different.

This proposal offers a different approach to what we’ve tried for decades. These same approaches that haven’t worked.