Amongst the vitriolic, fiery, accusing claims that have come out of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum debate, Indigenous rapper, comedian and writer Adam Briggs has come up with a simple solution: Google it.
On Thursday, Briggs released a three-minute video with comedians from The Feed Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst acting out a very realistic conversation in a pub between an Indigenous person, Briggs, and two non-Indigenous friends.
After listing all the reasons to vote No to “that Voice referendum thing”, including the No campaign’s contradictory arguments that it doesn’t go far enough but it also goes too far, Briggs asks a simple question: “Have you tried googling it?”
The friends find that the first search link clearly outlines what the Voice would be and agree they would both vote Yes.
The video has already received more than 60,000 views on YouTube and undoubtedly thousands more on X, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. It’s been shared by Hollywood actors Jason Momoa and Taika Waititi, plus thousands of others on social media.
Briggs, Owen, Zerbst and director Nash Edgerton were not paid for their work. It was not commissioned by the official Yes campaign. It was Briggs’ idea to dispel misinformation that has come out around the Voice in an ad targeted particularly at younger voters.
Briggs’ video is the most relatable, accurate and powerful ad to come out of the Yes campaign for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Too many times I have had conversations with family and friends who shrug their shoulders at the mention of the Voice, or furrow their brow in confusion and ask: “The Uluru Statement of the what?”
It’s a privilege to be engaged and informed on the referendum, but it’s also a great privilege to bury your head in the sand and say “there’s just not enough information out there”.
As Briggs, Owen and Zerbst have shown in the video, there is.
Since young people are the most exposed to bitesize videos, infographics and Instagram tiles, “researching” on the Voice sounds like the hardest thing in the world. Unfortunately, the No campaign has infiltrated vast areas and echo chambers of social media, and as Owen’s and Zerbst’s characters in the video highlight, it takes one video of an Indigenous person “saying they don’t even want it” to spark questions and doubts in the minds of voters.
At the same time, it takes reading a few sentences from the Australian government’s fact sheet on the Voice to realise that, maybe, this is something that could be a step in the right direction for our nation.
That’s why it’s so important to stay informed and go to the information – don’t let the information get to you.
Approaching the referendum with an attitude of nonchalance is a great disrespect to the tireless work of the Uluru Statement From The Heart and to all Indigenous people who agree that this vote could change their lives and the lives of their communities for good.
I urge voters to follow Briggs’ advice and google “What is the Voice”. You could be surprised with the answer.