On 16 June, Marrickville Town Hall was at full capacity for a public forum on the Uluṟu Statement from the Heart. I thank the Inner West Council and Mayor Darcy Byrne for facilitating the evening, as well as panellists: Linda Burney MP, Minister for Indigenous Australians; Senator Pat Dodson; Dean Parkin, the Director of the From the Heart campaign; and Cheree Toka, who continues to lead the campaign to fly the Aboriginal flag over the Sydney Harbour Bridge year-round.

As the referendum draws closer, forums like these will be critical: Individual communities coming together, packing out their local town halls, listening and learning about what their role is in the process of reconciliation and towards delivering the Uluṟu Statement in full.

The inner west has shown that we're ready to step up and play our part and I acknowledge Clr Byrne's commitment that Inner West Council will train 1,000 local residents to campaign for the "yes" vote. It's only by every community doing the same, right across our diverse nation, that we will finally act on our responsibility as Australians and deliver Voice, Treaty, Truth.