Ultra marathon runner Pat Farmer was joined by residents and supporters as he ran from Wyong to Ettalong Beach on Monday, August 21, as part of his 14,400km nation-wide Run for The Voice.
Farmer began his run in Tasmania on April 17, with a send-off from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and will end up at Uluru in October.
As a proud Central Coast resident, the former Federal MP is supporting constitutional recognition by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
Farmer served as a Member of the Australian House of Representatives representing the seat of Macarthur from 2001 to 2010, as a member of the Liberal Party.
He has since established a reputation in international and national ultra-marathons.
Between April 2011 and January 2012, Farmer successfully completed the world’s longest ultra-marathon, a Pole to Pole Run from the North Pole to the South Pole, raising $100,000 for Red Cross International.
Farmer trained for this latest endeavour by running 40km daily, with a gym session most afternoons.
He ran for seven hours and 12 minutes on the Central Coast, joined for the Tascott-Ettalong Beach leg by Federal Member for Robertson Gordon Reid.
“Pat is a phenomenal Australian, who is showing the nation how important this upcoming referendum is by running 14,400 kilometres around the country,” Reid said.
“He has already covered so much distance across our vast nation and will run up to 80km a day to eventually finish up at Uluru.
“I ran with Pat because I think it is important that no matter your political stripes, this referendum is above politics and is about making our nation stronger.
“Pat is the former Liberal Member for Macarthur and is not letting politics get in the way of his support for The Voice to Parliament.
“The upcoming referendum is an opportunity for our nation to recognise First Nations people through the establishment of a Voice.
“It will allow First Nations communities to have a say about the issues and policies that affect them.
“This will ensure better outcomes are achieved.”
The referendum on the Voice to Parliament will take place on October 14.
To follow Pat Farmer’s Run for The Voice, visit: https://www.runforthevoice.com/
Terry Collins