Voice to Parliament referendum in Australia

Publié par Marion Coste le 10/10/2023

[Question d'actualité] On the 14th of October 2023, Australian voters will be called upon to participate in the Voice to Parliament referendum, which proposes to enshrine in the Constitution an Indigenous voice to parliament. La Clé des langues has selected a number of articles, videos and fact sheets in order to better understand this historic national vote.

1. What is the Voice to Parliament referendum?

“Voice to Parliament referendum: explained” (Video; The Sydney Morning Herald, September 2023). This video summarises the referendum process in Australia and how the Voice to Parliament referendum would help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a say in government policy and programs.

“The Voice to Parliament explained” (Article; The Conversation, 30/08/2023). Carissa Lee lists articles on The Conversation that help better understand what is at stake in this referendum.
“Community toolkit” (Australian Government Resources). This toolkit provides videos, fact sheets, resource kits and infographics about the Voice to Parliament referendum.
“Information booklet: Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through a Voice” (Australian Government Resources, 06/04/2023). This page summarises how referendums work in Australia, what the Voice is and what it would do.

2. A divisive referendum

“7 rules for a respectful and worthwhile Voice referendum” (Article; The Conversation, 11/09/2023). Joe McIntyre, Associate Professor of Law at the University of South Australia, reminds the voters of how a respectable debate should be conducted and where to find reliable sources of information.
“Is it ethical non-Indigenous people get to decide on the Voice? Is it OK for one group to have rights others don’t? An ethicist weighs in” (Article; The Conversation, 25/09/2023). Paul Fermosa, Professor of Philosophy at Macquarie University, reflects on two ethical and philosophical questions raised by the Voice to Parliament referendum: 1) “Should one group get to decide for another group?”; 2) “Should one group get something others don’t get?”.
“The Voice to Parliament triggers different views among Indigenous Australians” (Video; ABC News, April 2023). This video explores the difference of opinions among Indigenous people regarding the Voice.

3. The "Yes" campaign

“What is the Voice” (Infographics; The Uluru Statement). The Uluru statement gives eight arguments in favour of the Voice.
“Yes campaign” (Website). Explore the website for the Yes campaign.
“Official Yes and No pamphlets” (Australian Government Resources). These pamphlets outline the arguments in favour or against the creation of a Voice.
“The voice contains hope. It will help end the great Australian silence” (Article; The Guardian, 01/10/2023). For Peter Garrett, recognising Indigenous Australians in the Australian Constitution and listening to them will make a positive difference.
"I’m voting yes to the voice for a brighter future for all Australian kids" (Article, The Guardian, 09/10/2023). Bridget Cama is a Wiradjuri and iTaukei Fijian lawyer living in Sydney on Bedegal land. She will be voting "yes" to ensure that all children thrive and have the same opportunities

4. The "No" campaign is dominating the debate

“Why is the campaign for an Indigenous voice struggling? It’s not just the media” (Article; The Guardian, 24/09/2023). Margaret Simons argues that many Australian voters feel disengaged because of the toxicity of the debate surrounding the referendum.
“The ‘no’ campaign is dominating the messaging on the Voice referendum on TikTok – here’s why” (Article; The Conversation, 12/09/2023). This article looks at the coverage of the two campaigns, especially on TikTok.
“Voice referendum: Lies fuel racism ahead of Australia's Indigenous vote” (Article; BBC News, 06/09/2023). Concerns are growing over the mental health of First Nations communities, who find themselves at the centre of an increasingly divisive debate.
“‘No’ Voter Nyunggai Warren Mundine On Why He's Campaigning Against The Voice To Parliament” (Video; The Project, 17/04/2023). Former politician Nyunggai Warren Mundine explains why he’s opposed to the Voice.

“What kind of Australia will we wake up to if the Voice referendum is defeated on October 14?” (Article; The Conversation, 02/10/2023). The “Yes” campaign currently fails to gain support in most Australian states.

5. The history of Indigenous rights in Australia

“100 Years of calls for Voice” (Reconciliation Australia). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have called for a political voice in one form or another for close to 100 years. This page provides an overview of the ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bodies and leaders have fought to be heard since the 1920s.
“Events that led to the 1967 Referendum” (Timeline; National Library of Australia). It was only in 1967 that the Constitution was changed to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as part as the Australian population. The page also includes activities for classes.
“Aboriginal Australians” (Article; National Geographic, 31/01/2029). Legally, “Aboriginal Australian” is recognised as “a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community in which he [or she] lives.”
“Australia’s First Peoples” (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies). The Torres Strait region is located between the tip of Cape York and Papua New Guinea and is made up of over two hundred islands.
“‘Equal rights for Aborigines’: Indigenous activism and constitutional reform” (Article; National Archives of Australia, 29/05/2020). This article gives an overview of the long history of agitation, action and appeal for Indigenous rights.

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