Speaking at the Garma Festival, Prime Minister Albanese put forward a possible referendum question: “Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?”
Reconciliation Australia believes the country is ready to take this positive step forward.
This kind of progress on reconciliation is what will bond our country together and set the foundation for a more just and equitable nation.
Much work has been done to get us to this point.
The Uluru Statement from the Heart was presented to the nation five years ago and calls for, “… the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution and a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making and truth-telling about our history.”
In the five years since the release of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a Joint Select Committee has considered the proposal.
An Indigenous Voice Co-design process outlined, in detail, options for how a Voice could work.
Further work will continue in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about what will go forward and ultimately the Australian people will be asked to support an Indigenous Voice to Parliament being enshrined in our Constitution.
Be Brave. Make Change.
Reconciliation Australia’s work consistently shows the public is on board when it comes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people having a say, and that we want governments to step up too.
The Australian Reconciliation Barometer – our two-yearly annual survey on attitudes to reconciliation – showed 95% of Australians believe it is important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a say in matters that affect them.
It showed 81% of Australians believe it is important to protect an Indigenous Body within the Constitution, so any government can’t remove it.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can no longer see their right to have a say, their right to be heard at the highest levels of law in this country, continue to be a political football tossed between successive governments.
The time is now. It’s up to us to act
Get up to speed with the information at hand and start talking now with friends and family.
- Read information on the Uluru Statement from the Heart at: ulurustatement.org
- Read information on the Uluru Statement from the Heart at: fromtheheart.com.au
- Read the Indigenous Voice Co-design report
- Read the 2018 Joint Select Committee Report
- Read the 2020 Australian Reconciliation Barometer
- Professor Megan Davis on the Uluru Statement from the Heart
- Linda Burney, Yiŋiya Mark Guyula, June Oscar, Dean Parkin, Mayatili Marika & Jacinta Nampijinpa Price talk Voice on QnA from Garma Festival 2022
- Professor Marcia Langton describes the Voice to Parliament process so far.
