First Nations Voice to Parliament referendum

City of Sydney

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Stay informed about our Voice to Parliament activities.

Why we support a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution

Australia is a diverse nation with a rich cultural heritage that dates back 65,000 years. The First Peoples of Australia have deep and enduring connections to this land. Our 122-year-old constitution still does not recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart proposes that a Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Australian Constitution is a meaningful way to make this recognition a reality.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice would be an independent and permanent advisory body. It would provide advice to parliament and federal government, giving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples more of a say in matters that affect their lives and communities.

In 2018 Council resolved to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and more recently resolved to support the yes vote for a Voice to Parliament in the referendum.

To change the constitution, there needs to be a referendum to seek the approval of the Australian people. A referendum on Saturday 14 October 2023, will ask the Australian people to vote on a single question to change the constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through a Voice to Parliament.

All Australian citizens aged 18 and over must vote in a referendum.

How you can get involved

We encourage you to learn more about the Voice to Parliament, the referendum and why it’s important to vote yes.

Online resources are listed below. Or visit the Voice to Parliament information stalls in our library branches and community centres.

We’re hosting free public events for people to find out more about the proposal before making their decision and to join in the conversation. Venue support is available for eligible organisations and community groups to host their own Voice to Parliament events and activities.

Workshops and events

Explore Voice to Parliament events in Sydney. If you’re hosting an event, list your event free on our What’s On website.

Thu5Oct
What’s On
Walking together towards reconciliation – Redfern
Learn about the Uluru Statement from the Heart and First Nations Voice to Parliament at this free training.
Redfern Town Hall
Thu12Oct
What’s On
Walking together towards reconciliation – Green Square
Learn about the Uluru Statement from the Heart and First Nations Voice to Parliament at this free training.
Green Square Library

Venue support for Voice to Parliament events

Eligible organisations and community groups can apply for support to hire our venues and space through these programs.

Statement from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander panel

While Council supports a Yes vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum, our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel has not endorsed a position. The panel encourages members of the community to consider all views on the referendum and make an informed vote.

Resources

Voice to Parliament: Australian Government
Resources to learn more about the Voice, including translated materials, accessible formats such as Auslan interpreted videos and dedicated resources for First Nations audiences.

A Voice to Parliament online training: The Uluru Dialogue
Free interactive course explaining Indigenous constitutional recognition, the Voice to Parliament, and why a referendum is needed.

Reconciliation Australia: 100 years of calls for Voice
A brief history of the many ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bodies and leaders have fought to be heard.

Video: Prof Anne Twomey AO – Constitutional Clarion
A series of short videos by the Professor of Constitutional Law and director of the Constitutional Reform Unit at Sydney Law School about the Voice to Parliament and the Constitution.

University of Melbourne: Voice to Parliament
Short video series presented by Professor Cheryl Saunders AO, an Australian and Comparative Constitutional Law expert answering commonly asked questions.
The Uluru Statement: The Uluru Dialogue
Community education on the Statement’s reforms of Voice, Treaty and Truth.

Video: Uluru Statement of the Heart background
18-minute educational video.

Video: Thomas Mayo reading Finding our Heart
A story about the Uluru Statement for young Australians read by the author.

Video and audio: The Uluru Statement from the Heart [SBS]
Available in Auslan, 20 Aboriginal languages from communities in the Northern Territory and north Western Australia, and more than 60 other languages.
Yes23: National campaign led by Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition
Find out how you can support the campaign and get involved

Yes23: A guide to talking about the Voice referendum
Step-by-step guide on how to talk about the Voice with friends, colleagues or family.

Empowered communities: Voice partnership empowerment explained
A perspective from a collaboration of 10 Indigenous regions across Australia in an easy-to-read booklet.
Our librarians have put together this additional list of online articles and reports available to everyone and books for members to borrow.
- Amanda Dunn & Carissa Lee. Your questions answered on the voice to parliament. The Conversation, 28 February 2023.
- Reconciliation Australia. Support a voice to parliament.
- The Uluru Statement. The Voice Model.
- National Indigenous Australian Agency. Indigenous Voice Co-design Process Final Report to the Australian Government. Commonwealth of Australia, 2021
- Attorney-General’s portfolio, Ministers. First Meetings of Referendum Working Group & Referendum Engagement Group. (September 2022).
- Constitutional referendums: a quick guide. Parliamentary Library, Parliament of Australia, 2022.
The Voice to Parliament related books

These books are available for City of Sydney library members to borrow. If you’re not already a member, join today. Membership is free if your live in NSW.
- Statements from the soul: the moral case for the Uluru Statement from the Heart / Shireen Morris and Damien Freeman
- Finding the heart of the nation: the journey of the Uluru Statement towards voice, treaty and truth / Thomas Mayo
- Finding the heart of the nation: the journey of the Uluru Statement from the heart continues / Thomas Mayo
- Griffith review 76, Acts of reckoning / Ashley Hay and Teela Reid.
- Everything you need to know about the Uluru Statement from the heart / Megan Davis and George Williams
- Truth-telling: history, sovereignty and the Uluru Statement / Henry Reynolds.

CityTalks: Why the Voice to Parliament is essential for all Australians

Watch the recording from our CityTalk on 19 July. Hear from community leaders, Voice experts, and constitutional specialists on what the Voice to Parliament will mean for our nation’s future.