Are you still unsure which way to vote in the upcoming referendum?
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Are you struggling to cut through the noise on social media and find out what it really means for our community?
The Dubbo Regional Council is hosting a Voice to Parliament forum including members of both the 'Yes' and 'No' camp to give residents the opportunity to hear from community leaders before they cast their vote.
"We want to make sure everyone in our community has access to the information they need to make an informed decision before they go to the polls on October 14," Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Mathew Dickerson said.
"The event will centre on providing community leaders a panel-style platform to address questions from the community in a facilitated public forum.
"The panel will include supporters from both the 'Yes' and 'No' viewpoint and be hosted by an independent facilitator."
The forum will be held at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre on Tuesday, October 10 from 6:00pm.
ABC Western Plains journalist Nick Lowther will be facilitating the discussion which will also be live streamed on the Dubbo Regional Council's YouTube page.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask the panelists questions which will be reviewed before the event to ensure respectful and moderate discussion.
Dubbo councillor Pam Wells, a Tubba-Gah woman, said the community forum will be a good way for locals who are yet to make up their mind to learn about what the Voice means.
"It's really important that people know what they're voting for when they go to the polls," she said.
"The fact that people are listening to some social media information which is not correct is actually quite damaging for the referendum.
"I want us to take our focus off the campaign and focus on what the referendum is trying to achieve."
Ms Wells - who said she will be voting 'Yes' - said the referendum vote is a historic opportunity to change the constitution, "not just a general election every four years." But she hopes, whichever way people decide to vote, it will be an informed decision.
"As a First Nations person I'm very much in support of ensuring that we educate our people and our community and what the Voice means and what it means to vote 'Yes' or vote 'No'," Ms Wells said.
"This isn't something we want people to decide on in secrecy. We want people to have very open conversations.
"Politics can become a bit heated, but this is something we want people to be educated on."
For further details on the event, or to submit a question for the panellists, visit https://yoursay.dubbo.nsw.gov.au/2023-referendum.
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