Say yes to the dress? Inside politics’ night of nights as Labor senator rocks up to Midwinter Ball in indigenous fashion brand’s dress emblazoned with calls for Aussies to vote for The Voice
Canberra’s social event of the year has kicked off, with one Labor senator making it very clear which side she will be backing in the Voice to Parliament later this year.
Labor’s Jana Stewart donned a flowing one-shouldered gown covered in passages from the Uluru statement to the annual Midwinter Ball on Wednesday evening.
Her dress was complemented by a crimson velvet cape with ‘Yes’ emblazoned across it in huge white lettering.
‘Wearing this dress is an opportunity to wear my values and create conversations in circles that aren’t necessarily watching parliament,’ said Senator Stewart.
Labor Senator Jana Stewart (pictured) donned a flowing white dress covered in passages from the Uluru statement to the annual Midwinter Ball on Wednesday evening – it was fringed with a crimson velvet cape with ‘Yes’ emblazoned across it in huge white lettering.

Senator Stewart’s dress was covered in passages from the Uluru statement – a precursor to the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament (pictured)
The dress, which was designed by Aboriginal social enterprise Clothing the Gaps, took a team of four people to help her put it on.
Clothing the Gaps co-founder Laura Thompson is Senator Steart’s plus one and will help carry the dress’s long train.
‘Jana and her dress will stop people on their Instagram scroll,’ Ms Thompson told Nine newspapers.
‘Hopefully, then people will decide to learn more (about the Voice).’
On Monday, Anthony Albanese’s voice briefly cracked with emotion when he announced that Australians will be afforded a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ to improve the lives of First Nations people between October and December.
The referendum aims to establish an Indigenous body to advise Parliament on issues facing Aboriginal Australians. It will also enshrine First Nations People in the Constitution.
‘Where’s the downside here?’ the Prime Minister asked. ‘What are people risking here? From my perspective this is all upside.’
Mr Albanese is expected to be in attendance tonight – despite complaining that the glittering social event clashes with the must-win State of Origin match for NSW.
‘The media have a lot to answer for as well, because I won’t even be watching it live on TV, because the Press Gallery, in all their wisdom, are having the Midwinter Ball that I have to speak at,’ he joked earlier this week.
‘This is an act of cruelty and it is most unfortunate in terms of timing.’
Senator Stewart clearly took inspiration from last year where Greens’ Senator Sarah Hanson-Young arrived wearing a long white dress with ‘End gas and coal’ written on the back of it – a direct criticism of 2022’s sponsors Shell and Woodside Energy.
Greens MP Adam Bandt, and his partner Claudia Perkins also caused a stir last year, the first to be held since 2019 because of Covid.
Ms Perkins had ‘coal kills and ‘gas kills’ written in black and red all over her otherwise white dress.
The messages were thought to be inspired by US Senator Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s 2021, who wore a striking white dress with ‘Tax the Rich’ written on it.
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