By now, the Australian Electoral Commission referendum pamphlets will have landed in your letterboxes.
There has been so much information to wade through.
There are claims and counterclaims.
We all know making decisions is easier if we have information.
So, let’s make sure the information you are reading is accurate.
THE VOICE IS LEGALLY SOUND
Australia’s Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue states that the Voice “will not fetter or impede the exercise of existing powers of parliament”, adding that the proposal “is not just compatible with the system of representative and responsible government prescribed by the Constitution, but an enhancement of that system”.
THERE IS ADEQUATE DETAIL
The referendum is about establishing a principle – the rest will be determined by parliament.
The Constitution does not contain detail on any power – that detail is always provided in legislation.
As a result, the composition of the Voice will be determined by the Parliament, which includes members from all parties including the Opposition as well as the Independents.
The government’s publicly released ‘Design Principles’ include that the Voice will be made up of, and chosen by, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
These principles are found in the 269-page detailed report – Indigenous Voice Co-design Process Final Report – known as the Calma/Langton report.
It sets out what a legislated Voice could look like, given that the constitutional amendment gives parliament the power “to make laws with respect to the composition, powers, functions and procedures” of the Voice.
THE VOICE DOES NOT DIVIDE US
There has always been different treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including a power to make special laws based on race.
The Voice proposal is a way of recognising this existing difference and the unique status, history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, in a positive way.
The Voice is an advisory board. It does not confer special rights to First Nations Australians.
It will allow them to advise on the development of laws and policies which affect their lives.
The government may or may not accept that advice.
As Noel Pearson noted at last week’s National Press Club address:
“This is not about race. This is about us being the original peoples in the country. It is not inequality to recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were the owners of Australia since time immemorial. It is simply the truth.”
THE VOICE WILL BENEFIT INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
It has been repeatedly shown that implementation of policies and programs is more effective when delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders exercising agency within their own communities.
The Voice will make no difference to everyday life for most people but can make a big difference to First Nations Australians.
Mr Pearson also touched on the impact of rheumatic heart disease on communities up north.
Despite being only three per cent of the population, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders make up about 87 per cent of rheumatic heart disease deaths, a shocking statistic in a country such as Australia.
Local communities have advocated about this issue for years, but successive governments have failed to implement programs that made a difference.
The requests fell on deaf ears.
As Mr Pearson described it, “It is a disease of the unlistened-to. It is a disease of a people who have spoken but have not been heard. ‘No’ gets us nowhere when it comes to confronting rheumatic heart disease. ‘Yes’ makes it possible.”
THE VOICE WILL FOCUS ON MATTERS AFFECTING INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
The Voice will provide practical and informed recommendations to Parliament and the executive in relation to matters that affect Indigenous peoples, such as health, housing, jobs and education.
There are literally hundreds of advisory bodies to government and this will be one more, with no more power than any other.
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations chief executive Pat Turner summed up why the Voice to Parliament is so important:
“We have a simple truth here. Believe it or not, Aboriginal people know what’s best for Aboriginal people. All we want is a say in our own affairs, not a veto, not an advantage over others. We want a fair go. And a voice that will help us get it.”
Most Australians understand the idea of a fair go, of people being responsible for their own decisions.
AN ADVISORY BODY IS LOW RISK FOR HIGH RETURN
Former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, Robert French said: “The Voice is a big idea but not a complicated one. It is low risk for a high return. The high return is found in the act of recognition, historical fairness and practical benefit to lawmakers, governments, the Australian people and First Australians.”
ACTIVISTS ARE NOT EMPOWERED BY THE VOICE
The Voice cannot compel government or parliament to do anything and any future decision regarding matters such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights or reparations will need to be made and agreed on by the democratically-elected government and parliament.
The so-called ‘activist’ statements quoted in the No case come from individuals and do not represent the collective view of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The intention of the Voice is to provide a way those views can be more accurately ascertained and communicated to government and the parliament.
THE VOICE WOULD NOT BE COSTLY AND ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY
The question of funding and resourcing, as with every other government body, including the parliament and the courts, will be an ongoing matter that is determined by the government of the day.
As part of the ordinary and democratic budgetary process, the annual budget of the Voice will be determined – and varied – as the operations of the Voice, and the broader budgetary context, requires.
The exact allocation of funding will depend on the final design of the Voice, following a successful referendum.
It is also likely that the initial set-up of the Voice will require more investment than its ongoing operation.
Once established, the evidence suggests that the Voice will start to result in better outcomes, and therefore more efficient allocation of government funding, resulting in net funding gains from the establishment of the Voice.
THE VOICE CAN BE UNDONE
History shows us that without constitutional protection, future governments can abolish representation.
This has repeatedly undermined any improvements gained by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and is why the status quo is no longer acceptable.
The constitutional amendment has been carefully drafted so that the creation of the Voice and its core function are constitutionally entrenched, but its detailed design will be set by the Parliament through the normal, public law-making process, and can be changed, adapted and improved through the normal, public and transparent law-making process.
The Australian people can abolish the Voice through a future referendum.
SYMBOLISM IS NOT ENOUGH
First Nations People have stated loudly and clearly that constitutional recognition needs to have practical as well as symbolic value.
The Voice will help ensure that funding for programs and services in Indigenous communities is spent more efficiently and effectively.
This will save taxpayer dollars and assist in saving and improving Indigenous lives.
As rapper and author Briggs commented when speaking about the Now & Forever concert: “No is our truth, we already live in No. What changes with a No result? Nothing.
“Yes is not a magic wand, it’s going to take work, but it’s an incremental change that is going to lead to more.
“If we can’t have this little part, what hope do we have for anything else?”
Every parent has hopes and dreams for their child and the life they will live.
We want them to be happy and healthy. We want them to grow and learn. We want them to be heard. It’s a value that connects us all.
A Yes vote in the referendum makes a better future possible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
This is what this referendum is about. It’s about a fair go. It’s about bringing the nation together.
Yes makes this possible.
So if you are unsure or want to find out more, drop in to the Hub at 171 Fryers St, Shepparton.
And don’t forget the Now & Forever music event on Friday, October 6, at the Shepparton Showgrounds.
Hosted by Sam Pang and with an amazing line-up of talent, including AB Original, Baker Boy, Barkaa, Emma Donovan, Hilltop Hoods, Jimmy Barnes, Mo’Ju and Paul Kelly.
It’s also a chance to find out more about the referendum.
“It’s about celebration, inclusivity, solidarity, positivity and listening as much as it is about a voice. In that spirit, everyone is welcome to the show — even the undecided voters. And if you don’t know, come to the show,” Briggs explained.
To get tickets to Now & Forever, visit
www.ticketmaster.com.au/now-forever-tickets/artist/3062377Ticketmaster AU
To read the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process, visit
https://voice.gov.au/resources/indigenous-voice-co-design-process-final-report