Qantas seeks sky-high support for Indigenous voice

Noel Pearson, Dean Parkin, Alan Joyce and Anthony Albanese help launch the new Yes23 logo. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

Qantas has emblazoned the Yes23 campaign logo on three of its aircraft to back the Indigenous voice being enshrined in the constitution.

Qantas Group chief executive Alan Joyce on Monday announced the aircraft will take to the skies with the logo, as part of the airline's longstanding commitment to reconciliation.

"We’re supporting the Yes23 campaign because we believe a formal voice to government will help close the gap for First Nations people in important areas like health, education and employment," he said.

The livery will be carried on a Qantas Boeing 737, a QantasLink Dash 8 turboprop and a Jetstar Airbus A320.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched the airline's 'yes' campaign in Sydney, praising Qantas for backing reconciliation since the 1960s.

"Qantas has shown the importance of extending ourselves, of reaching higher," he said.

The airline is among a host of businesses, including Australia's major banks, Wesfarmers, Woolworths, and Rio Tinto to back the 'yes' case in the voice referendum.

AFL legend Adam Goodes spoke of his family history.

"I was able to have all of the rights that all Australians have, be able to have that fair go," he said. 

"That's what we want for all Indigenous Australians ... and that vote at the end of the year really gives us an opportunity for Australia to come together to make sure that that can happen."

Indigenous leader Noel Pearson said the 'yes' case would leave no stone unturned, especially in states such as Queensland where support was softer.

"We're working energetically throughout the state, throughout the suburbs of Brisbane, in the mosques, on the beaches," he said. 

Mr Pearson said Queensland was a special state because it was home to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

"We need to win Queensland and I believe the people of Queensland are gonna join us in this positive opportunity that we have," he said.

Yes23’s campaign director Dean Parkin said the voice would have a practical, real impact on the lives of Indigenous people.

"This is a very, very good deal for the nation and I think this is a deal the nation is going to gleefully accept in a couple of months time with a very strong 'yes' vote," he said.

Resources Minister Madeleine King told a forum in Perth more private sector firms should back the 'yes' campaign and seek to "forge genuine partnerships with indigenous communities".

While Labor supports the voice being enshrined in the constitution, the Liberals back legislated local and regional voices.

Coalition partners the Nationals have concerns about the merits of a "regional voice".

Marcus Stewart, for the Uluru Dialogue, said the rift between the Liberals and Nationals revealed the "bad faith behaviour typical of the 'no' campaign".

"The only way to ensure First Nations peoples can have more say over policies affecting us is to vote 'yes' in the referendum," he said.

Australians are expected to vote in the referendum in October, with the prime minister signalling the formal start of the ballot process within weeks.

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