About the Author:
Honestly 'author' seems a bit highfalutin for what I'd call myself. My name is Luke Hockley. I'm a maker, mover, teacher, performer, writer who likes to use my skills to create positive change in the world.

My family arrived in ‘Australia’ in the mid 1800s as free settlers, they came from England and Ireland. They eventually settled in the Western District of what is now called Victoria on the lands of the Gunditjmara, Djab Wurrung, Jardwadjali and Buandig people.

In this process land was stolen from First Nations people and great, unforgivable violence was perpetrated against them. I know very little about how my family did or didn’t interact with First Nations people.

What I do know is that I want to play a positive role in righting the wrongs of the past.

However, whilst confident that voting Yes was a good way to do that I was initially hesitant about how to talk to other people about my decision to vote Yes.

I worked through all that and landed here, a confident, enthusiastic, generous Yes voter.

I figure there are other non-indigenous people out there, like me, who are voting yes but are uncertain about how to turn the volume up on that (and not end up lost in frustrating conversations with friends/family/colleagues who are just into arguing…)

I created this conversation for them. If that’s you. Your in the right place! Welcome!

My goal is that at the end of this you get super active in the Yes23.com.au campaign and feel awesome about having enthusiastic conversations with people who have genuine questions about why they might vote yes.

No one paid me to do this, or asked me to do it. I was just sitting around wondering how I could best help with the Yes’ campaign when I happened to have the good fortune of speaking to a First Nations person working closely on the Uluru Statement and the Voice to Parliament referendum.

When we spoke a few things became clear to me...this really, really matters. And if it doesn't happen, and I didn't do everything I could to make it happen, I would feel really, really sad.

Also, when I asked them what the single thing I could do to support them at this time was...they said:

"Be enthusiastic. Your enthusiasm gives me hope. It makes me feel like you've got my back."

I felt instant relief, a weight lifted, I felt like I knew what I could do to help.

Then I thought other Yes voters might feel the same. So, I wrote this conversation. I sincerely hope it has helped.

Some great people helped me develop this first story. A total team effort. Sarah Rudledge helped make this website look great, and helped shaped the content to make sure it was reading well. Sara Rickards was my general cheer squad and all round legend. Cam Elliott and Laura Hamilton-O’Hara helped supply background content and links and read the thing and were also generally awesome. Alongside a couple other special people in my life - you know who you are.