The Voice Referendum: Yes or No? 3 Myths in 3 Minutes Obliterated

If you’re thinking about voting NO in the Voice to Parliament referendum because you simply don’t understand what the Voice is, in the next 3 minutes, this excuse will evaporate. Give us 3 minutes of your time.

What Is the Voice?

 The question to be put to the Australian people in the Indigenous Voice Referendum will be:

“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First People of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

A Yes vote establishes a body that provides advice to the Federal Parliament on matters affecting Indigenous people. This advice is in no way binding on Parliament and government will have no obligation to do anything it does not wish to do.

The Principles of the Voice

·      The Voice will give independent advice to the Federal Government.

·      Members of the voice will be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

·      The Voice will be representative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

·      The Voice will be empowering, inclusive, respectful and culturally informed.

·      The Voice will be transparent and accountable.

Myth 1: Voting Yes Will Hurt Our Democratic System

Amending the Constitution will recognise First Nations people have an avenue to participate more fully in the democratic process. The Voice provides a method for Indigenous voices to be part of policymaking processes. This does not give First Nations peoples any special rights nor does it change the existing democratic system.

Myth 2: Voting Yes Is Only Symbolic and Isn’t Meaningful

The Voice will constitutionally enshrine the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people to speak to government on matters that directly affect them. More could be done, but this step is certainly not meaningless.

Myth 3: Voting Yes Will Not Support or Have a Positive Impact on First Nations peoples. 

If Parliament is better informed about the issues confronting communities of First Nations people, this will likely result in better laws being enacted, thus having a positive impact on First Nations lives.

Key Takeaways

By voting Yes, we are giving First Nations people an opportunity to speak directly to Parliament about the things that matter to them.

We at Furman+Furman lawyers believe that this is the least we can do.