Tamworth Voice Town Hall

Please join us for a community conversation at Tamworth Town Hall to learn more about the Voice Referendum. 

The Uluru Statement from the Heart has extended a generous and powerful invitation to all Australians. We are embracing this invitation and asking you to join us on this journey of understanding the Voice and constitutional recognition.

Together we will talk about why constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a Voice to Parliament is a crucial step in the walk towards reconciliation as a country. Town Hall attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share their feedback and learn about ways to engage in their local communities. 

It is an opportunity for Australians across the country to come together, learn, and engage in a constructive conversation about the Voice Referendum and its potential impact.

We hope to see you at the Town Hall, but if you can't make it, this event will also be live-streamed!

What: Understanding the Voice at Tamworth Town Hall
When: Monday 25 September, 6:30pm
Where: Tamworth War Memorial Town Hall, 28 Fitzroy St, Tamworth NSW 2340 or online 

About the Speakers:

Marc Sutherland (MC)

Marc is a proud Gomeroi and Ngarabul man with strong connections to country and community across the New England and North West of NSW.

Marc is driven by a deep desire to create positive change, and to support growth and development in his community. This drive led Marc to become the first Gomeroi person elected to Tamworth Regional Council in 2022.

Marc is a passionate member of his community. He is an active member of local Aboriginal community controlled organisations, currently serving in his 4th year as Chairperson of Tamworth’s Birrelee Multifunctional Aboriginal Children's Service. Marc is cofounder of the Gomeroi Dance Company and is currently the inaugural director of the Gomeroi Culture Academy.

Marc is known for his ability to create safe spaces encouraging open conversation. He has delivered cultural development workshops to a wide range of audiences for over a decade.

Cr Charles Lynch

Charles is a Gomeroi man who has lived between Tamworth, Barraba and Quirindi all his life. Cr Lynch has been involved in the Aboriginal Land Rights network for more than 25 years in various capacities and was elected in 2015.

Cr Lynch is a member of Nungaroo Local Aboriginal Land Council and is involved with the Tamworth Aboriginal Medical Service and Walhallow Murri Aboriginal Enterprise Corporation. He is a fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants.

He has a strong focus on empowering Local Aboriginal Land Councils to build capacity and determine their own direction through economic development and sustainable delivery of services for the betterment of members and communities as a whole. 

Charles is a signatory to the Uluru Statement. 

Geoff Scott

Geoff Scott is a Wiradjuri man from Narromine in NSW with more than thirty years of experience working in Aboriginal Affairs. 

Throughout his career, Geoff has held leadership positions across at the Local Aboriginal Land Council, the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. 

Geoff was the Executive Officer to the Referendum Council and was a key leader throughout the Uluru Dialogue process.

Rachael Phillips 

Rachael Phillips is a Gomeroi woman from Moree/Tamworth NSW. Rachael is the Director of Birrelee Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Service (MACS) which is an Aboriginal owned and controlled long day care located in Tamworth. 

Rachael has 15 years’ experience working in the Early Childhood Education sector, working with and for her local Gomeroi community. Rachael is passionate about education and culture and continues to create a learning environment that is culturally safe, culturally strong and culturally reflective of the community in which she lives and works. 

Rachael holds a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Services), Diploma in Business and qualifications in Corporate Governance. Rachael sits on local, state and national boards and consultative groups, sharing her knowledge and experience in the sector, as well as advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, culture and community. 

Kate Carnell

Kate Carnell is a company director and small business advisor. Kate has extensive experience and knowledge in the business sector, having run her own pharmacies for 15 years before becoming ACT Chief Minister in 1995 for a five-year period, as the inaugural Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO). 

Prior to her appointment as the inaugural ASBFEO, Kate held the position of CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which represents more than 300,000 businesses across Australia. She has also served as CEO of beyondblue, CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, CEO of the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) and CEO of the National Association of Forest Industries (NAFI). 

Kate was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2006 for her services to the community through contributions to economic development and support for the business sector, knowledge industries, the medical sector and medical technology advances.