Referendum on The Voice to Parliament
Saturday 14 October 2023
A reminder that the Referendum on the Voice to Parliament will take place on 14 October 2023.
Any Australian citizen over the age of 18 is required to take part. As courageous custodians of our community, we want to ensure everyone in our network has access to key information about this significant voting event.
What is a Referendum?
There has not been a Referendum in Australia since 1999, so it is natural that people have questions about how it works.
A referendum is a vote of the Australian people on a proposed change to the Australian Constitution. You will be posed a question (see below) on your ballot paper, and you are required to write “Yes” or “No” in response to that question.
The Question:
“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?“
You can find out more about the 2023 Referendum dates, deadlines, and details on the Australian Electoral Commission website.
Resources:
We encourage all members of our community to educate themselves on this topic before the referendum date. If you’re not sure where to start, we have included some links to key resources below:
This is the Australian Government’s official website with information about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
Solicitor-General Dr Stephen Donaghue KC’s Report
The Solicitor-General’s report clarifies how the Voice would function within our existing system of government.
Uluru Statement from the Heart
This statement was written by a diverse group of Indigenous Australians at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, calling for constitutional reforms to empower First Nations peoples.
