On Saturday 14 October, Australians will have the opportunity to recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution through a Voice to Parliament.
Many Australians are still not completely sure about questions such as:
- What is the Indigenous voice to parliament and how would it work?
- Do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people support the Voice?
- Will the Voice insert race into the Constitution?
- How will the Voice make a practical difference?
- Don’t Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people already have lots of ‘voices’ to government and parliament?
- How can the Voice represent the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander views?
- Why do we need to put the Voice in the Constitution?
Come along and hear from four speakers who will answer your questions about what a Voice to parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will mean in practical terms. Our panel includes:
Rodney Dillon: chairperson of the Aboriginal Heritage Council. He has been a member of numerous high-level boards including National Oceans (5 years), Australian Heritage Council (6 years), Stolen Generations (4 years) and Commissioner for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Commission (8 years).
Greg Barns: barrister, author, and political commentator. Greg practices in the areas of criminal law, administrative law, and human rights. He is a former President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance. He was appointed Senior Counsel in Tasmania in 2020.
Matt Jeffrey: writer, musician, union activist, and student of Secondary Education at the University of Newcastle. He is a Wadi Wadi man of the Yuin Nation, and an advocate for social and economic justice.