Special Edition Newsletter: Voice to Parliament
CATSINaM’s special edition newsletter focuses on the Voice to Parliament in the lead-up to the Referendum 2023 on 14 October 2023.
CATSINaM supports the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice and supports the call for more.
Referendum 2023 – 14 October 2023
On 14 October 2023, Australians will vote on whether a change should be made to the Australian Constitution. The question that will be put to voters is whether to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
Voting is compulsory for all Australian citizens aged 18 years or over. To vote, you must be enrolled with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). You can enrol to vote on the AEC website.
Learn more about the question by watching the video on this site Referendum 2023 – The Question (aec.gov.au)
AEC has posted a podcast about why your answer matters.
Here are some useful sites for you, your family friends and your community.
The Community Toolkit – Why is it happening now?
In 2017, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across the country came together and considered all the options for recognition. They wrote the Uluru Statement from the Heart (Home – Uluru Statement from the Heart), which called for a Voice for First Nations peoples to be added to the Constitution.
In 2022, the Australian Government agreed to have a referendum to let Australians decide whether to establish the Voice in the Constitution. This is why Australians are now being asked to vote on it. You can access more information here – Community toolkit | The Voice
Advice from the Law Council of Australia
The Law Council has a longstanding position in support of the formal recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution.
We support that recognition being realised through a Voice enshrined within the Constitution as articulated in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. We share in the conviction that a Voice presents a tangible opportunity to close the gap in this country by empowering Australia’s First Peoples to provide input on matters that affect them.
Importantly, the Law Council considers that the proposed amendment to the Constitution is constitutionally orthodox, just, and legally sound.
The Referendum on a proposed amendment to the Constitution to provide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice raises questions for many Australians.
The Law Council has prepared the following resources to assist the public to make an informed decision, and to set out the Law Council’s views about the Voice Referendum.
- Factsheet 1—Amending the Constitution
- Factsheet 2—Compelling case for the Voice
- Factsheet 3—Explanation of the proposed constitutional amendment
- Factsheet 4—Frequently Asked Questions
Please contact Ms Leonie Campbell, Director of Policy, on 02 6246 3754 or at leonie.campbell@lawcouncil.au with any questions or comments.
Social Media
There are several social media sites you can follow to gather information:
- The Uluru Statement from the Heart – The Uluru Statement from the Heart | Facebook
- Yes23 – (20+) Facebook
- AEC – (20+) Facebook
- AEC Referendum 2023: The Question
- Australian Government – https://voice.gov.au/resources
- Close the Gap Campaign – https://closethegap.org.au/ctg-and-the-voice/
We look forward to your feedback and queries. Please email us at: enquire@catsinam.org.au or follow our social media platforms.
Thank you
CATSINaM Secretariat