Jen Bray
I used to read a story to my children, What Was I Scared Of? by Dr Seuss.
It was about a spooky pair of pale green pants with nobody inside them. The protagonist was constantly stalked by these scary pants and would flee in terror whenever they appeared. Until one day, the protagonist noticed the pants were trembling with fear themselves. “They were just as scared as I”.
I wondered what we were all so collectively scared of when the Referendum Vote showed 60% of Australians voted No to listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.
The simple ask, of providing a permanent advisory body to inform Government about issues that affect some of the most vulnerable members our country, does not strike me as a terrifying prospect.
But somehow it has stirred deep fears in our population. Sixty percent of Australians have turned and fled from the possibility of addressing and improving life expectancy, suicide rates, homelessness, incarceration, employment opportunities and physical and mental health and wellbeing, for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The impact of Australians turning their backs has been a devastating blow for those communities. There are many who will be hurting in the weeks, and months following the Referendum Vote. This will have far reaching impacts on the mental health and well-being of an already vulnerable group of people. There is much pain and grief, and need for healing. Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be needing understanding and compassion and our support.
In the wake of the referendum vote, Council has made a statement that we stand by our values of fairness, inclusion, respect, diversity, equity and peace. I call for all people in our Hepburn Shire, regardless of how you voted, to offer that respect, understanding and support for those who are hurting right now. We need to be kind to each other so that we can move forward together.
In Dr Seuss’s story, the protagonist puts their arm around the frightened pants and realisesthey have more in common than they thought.
And now we meet quite often, those empty pants and I,
And we never shake or tremble.
We both smile.
And we say, “Hi”.
There may be another way forward on the path to reconciliation, but the starting point is perhaps to look at our own fears and ask ourselves, “What was I scared of?”
Councillor Jen Bray is a Daylesford resident and an elected Councillor for Birch Ward.
Councillor Columns are a regular feature in The Wombat Post. We offer these spaces as an information channel from Council to the community. Councillor Columns are not subject to editorial review by our editorial committee but are published as we receive them from our elected Councillors.
