Patrick Dodson

To the Australian people, young and old. I have lived through many of these extraordinary moments in this country. The Voice is now our moment. Vote Yes. #VoteYes23 #VoteYesAustralia

This morning I announced my resignation as Senator for Western Australia, effective from 26 January 2024. Regrettably, my recent treatment for cancer means that my health, although slowly improving, has left me physically unable to continue as a Senator. It has been an honour.

Today I urge all Australians to Vote Yes. So then when we look ourselves in the mirror tomorrow, we see a proud and compassionate nation reflected back.

I want to thank all those Australians who have supported this campaign for recognition and a Voice. Stand proud tomorrow. History will remember you.

Yes moves our nation forward in a positive, constructive way. The outcome of the referendum is in your hands Australia. There’s nothing to fear and all to gain.

Casting my vote today is the privilege and honour we all have as Australians. We hold the power to determine the future we want for this country. We hold the power to improve our relationship with our First Peoples - to recognise them and to give them a Voice. Vote Yes.

This Saturday - will we give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples a seat at the table by voting Yes? Or will we leave them to pick up the crumbs that fall from that table. The Australian people must decide.

Voting Yes is about taking us forward… It has vision, it has hope, it has promise.

Today I will address the National Press Club from Yawuru country, Broome. It will be broadcast live on @abcnews and @SkyNewsAust from 12:30pm AEDT.

This was my last press conference before I got sick. My message is still the same - Voting Yes at the referendum is about forging a better relationship with our First Peoples. We need all Australians.

I keep hearing ‘you have lost this, you may as well lay down and die’. I don’t believe that. I believe Australians will look at this on the day and say, ‘well this is a decent, honourable, good thing for us to do.’

I believe we will win this. “Pat Dodson, on the comeback from cancer, gives his voice to The Voice” - Tony Wright smh.com.au/politics/feder…

Leaders across the Kimberley say Yes!

Constitutional recognition through a Voice has the support of most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To say there is some other form of recognition worth pursuing instead is to do what we have always done - to tell First Peoples what we think is best for them.

As a nation we must take this opportunity to recognise our First Peoples. We cannot leave this task to future generations. I urge all Australians to respond to this referendum with love, trust and kindness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Referendums are simply about voting on a principle. The principle is whether we should recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as our First peoples… Saying Yes to this principle is a good and honourable thing to do.

Senator @PatrickDodson's life’s work has been about truth-telling and improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Now, he’s calling on you to use your voice to support First Nations people. #HistoryIsCalling #VoiceToParliament #VoteYes

In this special episode, @SenatorDodson reads his moving piece from a recent edition of The Monthly about his lifelong fight for a better Australia. Listen now – trib.al/yuQhddX

Over 97% of Australians are enrolled for this referendum, the highest number of all-time. Australians care about this vote. The Voice will do good things for our modern democracy.