Voice to Parliament

In October 2023 a referendum was held for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament to be enshrined in the Constitution. This webpage provided the Tasmanian community with information and resources in the lead up to the vote.

In October 2023 a referendum was held for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament to be enshrined in the Constitution. Australians have now voted in the referendum, rejecting a change to the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia and to establish a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

In the lead up to the referendum the University provided this webpage for students, staff and the wider community to access a broad range of information relating to the referendum.

The page provides links to information, opinion and perspective on the referendum from Tasmanian, national and international perspectives, reflecting a collection of critical, balanced and reliable sources.

 

Island of Ideas public talks series

Voice to Truth

Island of Ideas Public talk series

Explore the Voice to Parliament Referendum with a three-part series of public talks with Aboriginal Elders, young Indigenous Tasmanians, academics and community leaders.

Watch the Voice to Truth series

stacked of rererendum booklets ready for distribution

How do the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ cases stack up?

Constitutional law experts take a look over at The Conversation.

Indigenous ceremonial woven baskets

Look after yourself and your community

The Conversation article - 7 ways to look after yourself and your community before and after the Voice referendum

Below you will find information, articles, opinion pieces and websites covering different perspectives on the Voice to Parliament.

University's response to the referendum

Australians have now voted in the referendum, rejecting a change to the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia and to establish a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

The University recognises that the public debate preceding the referendum generated significant differences of viewpoint and that some of the information provided was contested. We also acknowledge the stress and hurt experienced by many in the University community as a result of these disputes.

Despite the referendum outcome, Australia will continue to face challenges to better understand the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for just and empowered lives. The University commits itself to supporting quality, evidence-based conversations that are focused on embracing the informed democratic voice of the Australian people, and participation in the important next steps in closing the gap in Indigenous disadvantage by listening to those most affected.

We recognise that a powerful opportunity remains for us to realise the generosity and wisdom of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, to renew our journey toward a shared vision of a better nation for all Australians.

Universities will continue to play a key role in this journey by embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and culture into our teaching and research, in order to strengthen reconciliation and equality in Australia. As a university we can play an important part in strengthening the social fabric of our communities. The Australian Universities Accord has highlighted that Indigenous knowledges should be foundational for all universities and makes a recommendation for a review of Indigenous higher education. We embrace this idea fully and commit to working to ensure we can do this in a way that maximises the success and wellbeing of Indigenous people.

University's statement

In 2017 the Uluru Statement from the Heart was made by national Indigenous leaders. It sets out an urgent agenda for Voice Treaty Truth that cannot be reduced to its separate parts.

A codesign process with the Australian Government and led by Professor Marcia Langton and Professor Tom Calma has developed details from the Uluru Statement for the proposed Voice to Parliament. The final report provides guidance for the Voice to Parliament to be considered by the Australian parliament.

An Australian constitutional referendum will be held in 2023 that will ask the people of Australia if they agree to the insertion of new words into the Australian constitution. If a “yes” vote is received, the Australian parliament can then legislate the Voice to Parliament.

The University is committed to the principles outlined in the Uluru Statement from the Heart as a basis for the proposed constitutional reform and other reform agendas. These principles affirm Indigenous ancestral ties to the land, and that Indigenous sovereignty has never been ceded or extinguished.

The University will work with Indigenous leaders to contribute to this debate in Tasmania through its reach, networks, and by holding discussion events in the lead up to the referendum.

Members of University Council, Academic Senate and the University Executive Team affirm their commitment to a yes vote.

The University respects the diversity of views in the Tasmania Aboriginal community and Australian Indigenous communities across the country.

Members of the University community are free to express their views and are protected by our academic freedom and free speech policy (PDF 164.8 KB).

The University calls on all Tasmanians to engage with this conversation and to do so in a manner that is respectful and inclusive.

As a University community we accept a shared responsibility to nurture and support students and staff over the course of these political debates.

  • Disinformation register - Referendum process
  • Debunks
  • Recognition through a Voice
  • Indigenous Voice Co-design Process
    The report proposes the establishment of an Indigenous Voice to the Australian Parliament and Government based on extensive feedback gathered from over 9,400 people and organisations across Australia. The proposed Indigenous Voice aims to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to participate in genuine shared decision-making with governments at the local and regional level and have their voices heard in policy and law making. It is intended to complement and amplify existing structures, not replace them. The report argues that establishing an Indigenous Voice will lead to better policy outcomes, strengthen legislation and programs, and provide a mechanism for diverse perspectives and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be considered.
  • Uluru Statement from the Heart
    The Uluru Statement from the Heart is a statement issued in 2017 by Indigenous Australian leaders who called for the constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, a "First Nations Voice" to be enshrined in the Australian Constitution, and the establishment of a Makarrata Commission to oversee agreement-making and treaty-making between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The statement also includes a call for the recognition of Indigenous Australians as the First Peoples of Australia. The "Voice to Parliament" proposal within the statement aims to establish an advisory body made up of Indigenous leaders to provide advice and input to the Australian Parliament on matters that affect Indigenous Australians.
  • ABC in depth - Everything you need to know about the voice
    ABC takes a deep dive into everything you need to know about the Voice.
  • Wikipedia - Opinion polling for the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum
    The Wikipedia article provides information on opinion polling for the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum. It includes polls conducted by various firms on national and state-level support, as well as demographic breakdowns. The article features a summarised table of poll results from May to July 2023.
  • Australian Government - The official voting pamphlet (PDF 251.9 KB)
  • ABC Podcast - The Voice Referendum Explained

Videos for Voice to Parliament

Voice to Parliament community conversation (1.5 hours)

A conversation with the community about the 2023 referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament to be enshrined in the Constitution.

Why is a Referendum needed? | Learning with From the Heart (5.3 Minutes)

Voice to Parliament - what does it mean? (Jan 2023) (2.3 Minutes)

Jack Latimore breaks down what's involved in a Voice to Parliament.

Indigenous voice to parliament: what is it and how would it work? (8.3 Minutes) - The Guardian Australia

Indigenous affairs reporter Sarah Collard explains what we know so far about how the Albanese government hopes to enshrine an Indigenous voice in the constitution and what it means for all Australians.

How Will a Voice to Parliament Help Indigenous Australians? | Q+A (13 Minutes)

What tangible impact would an Indigenous Voice have for those who live in north-east Arnhem Land and other remote communities? ( Indigenous Panel  includes Linda Burney, Minister for Indigenous Australians and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Country Liberal Senator for NT.

Thomas Mayo responds to the launch of the No campaign Jan 2023 (5.5 Minutes)

Thomas Mayo on Sky News discusses the launch of the No campaign, how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were extensively consulted and the majority agreed (and still do) that constitutional recognition should come through a Voice to Parliament.

History is calling (1 minute)

Vote Yes to support a Voice to Parliament, so that First Nations peoples can have a say on matters that affect them. The Sept 2022 Ad that launched the Yes Campaign.