22 JUNE 2023 : THOMAS MAYO
Lismore Politics in the Pub came back from a long hiatus after Covid and floods to present an absolute cracker of an evening on June 22 at the Lismore Heights Bowling Club. It was a stellar line up of special guest speakers to discuss the upcoming vote on the Voice to Parliament.
Thomas Mayo, a Torres Islander and one of the signatories of the Uluru Statement from the Heart was accompanied by Northern Rivers men Josh Appanui and Kerry O’Brien. Josh is a legal policy writer and advocate for indigenous affairs from the Tweed area, whilst Kerry is a well known local famous for his journalistic work with the ABC and is co-author with Thomas on the Voice to Parliament handbook.
There was such a large crowd in attendance that the Club was obliged to shut its door after it reached maximum capacity. The audience was held spellbound by the speakers and engaged in a lively conversation after the presentations. Audience members who were opposed to a yes vote in the referendum were also given a voice and Thomas directly and respectfully addressed their concerns at length.
Thomas spoke about the need for a Voice to Parliament to be established as the first step in a three-step progression towards closing the gap. Josh spoke about his personal experiences and how he would have benefited from a committee such as the Voice when he was a young man. Kerry gave us a detailed history of how indigenous policy has been handled by past Prime Ministers across the 20th and 21st centuries. He expressed his view that the Voice is a great opportunity for reconciliation and urged people to consider their vote carefully. All in all, it was a highly successful evening that left people expressing a desire for more Lismore Politics in the Pub events. Watch this space!
The Organising Committee speakers are shown below.
Left to right = Sandy Darab, Thomas Mayo, Margaret Louise, Anne Tuart, Yvonne Hartman, Josh Appanui. Kerry O’Brian not photographed.
13 MAY 2021 : ANGUS McDONALD
Thanks to all those who joined us on Thursday May 13 2021 at the Rous Hotel, Lismore, when Politics in the Pub hosted guest speaker Angus McDonald — artist, film-maker and human rights activist. As well as serving as an ambassador for Human Rights Watch Australia & Asia, and the Kids Off Nauru campaign for World Vision, Angus is an artist of international and national renown. His compelling portrait of Kurdish refugee Behrouz Boochani won the People’s Choice Award in the 2020 Archibald Prize.
View the video of the evening here:
Lismore Politics in the Pub 