Supporters of the Uluru Statement from the Heart can have their say on the establishment of a First Nations Voice to Parliament, by making a submission to the Australian Government’s co-design process by 30 April.
In January 2021 the Australian Government released the Interim Voice Report and invited the community to contribute to the design of a mechanism to ensure the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are heard directly by Parliament on issues that affect them.
This National Voice is a key pillar of the Uluru Statement, which sets out a vision for reconciliation developed by the First Nations National Constitutional Convention, following extensive consultations with communities throughout Australia.
Our submission to the co-design process stresses the importance of enshrining the Voice in the Constitution rather than establishing it via legislation, to ensure its authority and independence.
‘A Constitutional mandate makes clear that the obligations of the Voice are above politics,’ said PIAC CEO, Jonathon Hunyor.
‘We call on the Commonwealth Government to honour its election commitment to hold a referendum on the Voice, and pass enabling legislation in the next term of parliament,’ added Jonathon Hunyor.
The 2020 Australian Reconciliation Barometer indicated that 81% of the general community believe a Voice should be protected within the constitution.
We have made further recommendations that emphasise the importance of ensuring that no-one is unfairly excluded from standing as a candidate.
Visit the Uluru Statement website for more information on making a submission or read PIAC’s submission.