Have your say now on the proposals for an 'Indigenous Voice'
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Find out how to have your say on the proposals for an ‘Indigenous Voice’ in Federal Parliament and at local levels and help provide a way for our First Nations peoples to provide advice and input on matters that are important to improving their lives
Have your say now on the proposals for an Indigenous Voice.
The proposals for an Indigenous Voice would provide a way for Indigenous Australians to provide advice and input on matters that are important to improving their lives.
It could be made up of two parts:
Find out more about the proposals and have your say online, where you can also take a survey or make a submission.
Read public submissions to the co-design process.
Background and ways to get involved
Over the past year, three Indigenous Voice Co-design groups, made up of 52 members, have been working together co-designing options for an Indigenous Voice.
Members developed proposals for an Indigenous Voice that has two complementary parts, a National Voice and Local and Regional Voices. They looked at how an Indigenous Voice to the Australian Parliament and Government might work, and how local voices can be heard and participate in decision making in partnership with governments.
Their ideas for the National Voice and Local and Regional Voices are detailed in the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process Interim Report, a discussion paper and a conversation guide.
The Co-design Groups now need individuals, communities and organisations to reflect on, and provide feedback about, how they think the proposals will work for them.
You can stay up to date and also share your feedback by:
- Subscribing via voice.niaa.gov.au. A range of resources and consultation material outlining the proposals is also available on this site.
- Providing a submission – submissions will be open until 31 March 2021 [this date has been extended to 30 April 2021].
- Participating in a survey – surveys are open now and will be continuing throughout the consultation process to early May 2021.
- Joining the conversation using #IndigenousVoice on social media.
- Participating in one of the community consultations held across the country.
Find out more about the proposals and have your say online. Where you can also take a survey or make a submission
Read public submissions to the co-design process.
Join the conversation using #IndigenousVoice and stay connected on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
From the Heart
Make a submission by 31 March 2021 [this date has been extended to 30 April 2021].
The Government is running a co-design process to decide what a voice to Parliament will look like.
Your help is needed right now!
To make a submission go to the From the Heart website.
Your submission will show that a voice enshrined in the constitution is:
- A fair go
- A practical change
- Supported by the Australian people
- A unifying opportunity.
From the Heart is guided by the Uluru Statement from the Heart which calls for a Voice enshrined in the Australian Constitution. This Co-Design Process is a significant opportunity to press the case for an enshrined Voice – we must act now!
All who are inspired by the Uluru Statement are called to make a submission in support of our key positions below.
Submissions must be made by 31 March 2021 [this date has been extended to 30 April 2021].
Key submission points:
- The government must honour its election commitment to a referendum once a model for the Voice has been settled;
- Enabling legislation for the Voice must be passed after a referendum has been held in the next term of Parliament; and
- The membership model for the National Voice must ensure previously unheard Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have the same chance of being selected as established leadership figures.
Your submission will be most effective if you support the three key positions.
Please:
- Use your own words to make your submission – personalised submissions have much more impact than cutting and pasting our words
- In the spirit of co-design, try to make your points as constructively as possible – our goal is to achieve the best possible outcome through this process
- Focus on the Voice – we know there is significant support for other issues; however, at this point, we must focus our efforts on the Voice.
Your submission does not have to be a long-winded document – it can be as short as three sentences. The most important thing is that your voice is heard!
Read more about The Uluru Statement.
First published on the National Council of Churches in Australia website on 19 February 2021.
Editor’s note (26/03/21): The submission due date has been extended to 30 April 2021. This is reflected in text changes made above.
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