Constitutional recognition and the Voice to Parliament: let’s get this done!
When we listen to people about decisions which affect them, we get better results. This is well known to unionists, who understand that workers need to be consulted on decisions that affect them.
The IEU Victoria Tasmania supports the recognition of Australia’s Indigenous peoples in our constitution and the establishment of a Voice to Parliament. Alongside the broader union movement, faith groups, sporting codes and countless other organisations and community groups, we are wholeheartedly campaigning for a Yes vote in the upcoming referendum.
But talking about this campaign can be tough. It shouldn’t be, but certain political opportunists have managed in a very short space of time to turn what could have been an important, constructive national conversation into a divisive partisan dispute.
This is not to say that there are not real and legitimate debates to be had about the model that will be presented to Australian voters in the upcoming referendum – but these debates are being drowned out by those in politics and the media who have leapt at the opportunity to platform themselves and further their own careers by feeding the flames of fear and suspicion. Of the many cheap and disingenuous slogans in our recent political history, ‘if you don’t know, vote no’ is right up there with the worst of them. As educators, IEU members will instinctively respond: ‘if you don’t know, find out!’
This relentlessly negative messaging has been amplified by mainstream media (and social media) reactionaries, who label anyone keen on fairness and listening to the wishes of our First Nations fellow citizens as “cultural elites”, despite the fact that the call for a Voice to Parliament emerged from the most democratic process imaginable, which produced the landmark Uluru Statement from the Heart.
So yes – there are uncomfortable conversations to be had. But the ask is not as hard as you might think! In fact it’s quite simple: constitutional recognition of the original inhabitants of this continent, and the formation of an advisory body.
That’s all it comes down to.
Strip out the opportunistic minority peddling hate and remind yourself of the simple facts:
Our indigenous brothers and sisters want this.
It’s about respect for an immensely rich cultural and human history.
The proposed amendment is a modest tweak to a 122-year-old document.
It is a big step towards empowering disadvantaged communities and giving them a say.
It will help heal and unite a country that that has been divided for too long.
It’s hardly radical – right now we are one of very few colonised countries that does not have constitutional recognition of or a treaty with their First Nations people.
Ultimately, this is an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.
The Voice is a moral choice, but also a pragmatic one – after years of expensive failure trying to close the gap on indigenous disadvantage, it’s time to embrace a mechanism based on expert local advice. Indigenous input into funding for programs and services in Indigenous communities will help ensure money is spent more efficiently and effectively.
The model of the Voice was the result of an exhaustive democratic process. In 2017, 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders held a Convention at Uluru, the culmination of 13 First Nation Regional Dialogues across the country, involving more than 1200 Indigenous representatives. The result was the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a powerful document which invites Australians of all backgrounds to walk together toward a better future for all of us.
Australia’s First Nations peoples belong to many distinct nations living in vastly different parts of this huge country, so they have many different ideas about how to improve health, education, and fairness for their people. Despite that, the Uluru Statement from the Heart united all those disparate representatives, and over 80% of Indigenous Australians support the Voice to Parliament.
Australians are especially wary of constitutional change, and very few referenda have been successful. The notion of a referendum is foreign to any of us under the age of 42. This will take real effort.
So, if you support this crucial step towards unity and progression in our country, help spread the word. Most of us are swayed on such issues by people we are familiar with; the opinions of friends and loved ones have as much influence as the best arguments of the learned and famous. The conversations will sometimes be hard – but they are important, and by having them you will be part of something you can be proud of.
Share positive and hopeful content on social media, and let those in your circle know that you aren’t moved by fear campaigns: you support fairness, justice, and a better future – and you will be voting Yes!
Head to this page to pledge your vote, find resources and get involved in local campaigning.
This is an edited version of an article appearing in the Term 3, 2023 edition of The Point