The Gap

On October 14 2023, Australia decided in a momentous referendum whether or not their First Nations people should have a voice in parliament that is inscribed into the constitution. The debate surrounding the referendum was undeniably ugly. With ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns strongly divided, the Australian public lost sight of the people that are going to be, and already were, affected by the referendum’s outcome. This is where Nikyah’s story becomes urgent.

I felt compelled to make this documentary to redirect attention and foreground the deeply personal impacts of this vote. Nikyah’s willingness to share her own story provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with audiences – with many of her experiences broadly universal and simultaneously marred by the unique challenges of being an Indigenous woman.

In conversations with Nikyah it became clear that her reflections on the referendum had become inextricable from her personal storytelling. With past trauma amplified by the harsh discourse that characterised the referendum, she found herself the subject of a highly politicised debate concerning whether or not she, her community, and her history, should have a say in the decision-making processes of the Australian government.

The Gap draws audiences into the two contrasting spaces that Nikyah calls home. It is from this position of intimate proximity that the impact of the referendum is revealed, as its outcome threatens to deteriorate Nikyah’s already weak hope for the future. With the outcome of the ‘Voice to Parliament’ vote being a resounding ‘No’, it is imperative that audiences – regardless of their political inclinations – understand the stakes of this vote and reflect on their position in the broader conversation surrounding the rights and the voice of Australia’s first people.