Noel Pearson on ABC: I feel love in the air surrounding the Voice
Co-architect of the Uluru Statement from the Heart Noel Pearson. (Image credit: Ben Fry / The Uluru Dialogue)
First Nations leader Noel Pearson says there is too much evidence of Aussies getting behind the push for a YES result at this Saturday’s referendum to declare the campaign to recognise First Nations people in the Constitution via a Voice to Parliament over and done with.
“Everyone has their ups and downs, and over the course of the last eight to 10 weeks, I've had my own,” Mr Pearson, a co-architect of the Uluru Statement from the Heart told Radio National host Patricia Karvelas.
“But I can tell you on this Wednesday morning, three days before the vote, I feel love in the air. Absolutely.
“There is just too much evidence of Australians coming out in very quiet ways and giving us the thumbs up that they're voting YES.
“We have every chance still left to win this referendum and for the Australian people to make a YES vote that will transform our country and take us into the future.
“We have 45,000 volunteers working every minute of every hour and every day in the lead-up to Saturday.
“The polls are all over the place; they are not to be relied on. The fact of the matter is that we can win this.
“I come from a place called Hope Valley, a little community in Cape York Peninsula. I feel that with the momentum that we're all sensing around the countryside … there's a large number of people who have indicated nothing definite to the pollsters.
“And the media’s pollsters, of course, have their own theories about how people are going to vote. None of those theories are particularly apposite to a referendum.
“Referenda are unique things; we've not had one for more than 20 years. I would not be writing off a YES result and I certainly am not writing off our chances on Saturday.”
