Everything You Need to Know About the Indigenous Voice to Parliament So You Feel Confident to Make Your Vote Count

Your vote (and your voice) matters.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched the referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament last month, with confirmation Aussies will have their vote on 14 October.  

There has been a lot of chat about what that means online, in the news and, of course, all over social media, so it’s totally understandable if you’ve got a lotta questions. 

That’s what we’re here for, so let’s jump right into it–starting with the basics. 

What is a referendum?

The government can’t just go around making changes to the Constitution–they have to let the Aussie people decide for themselves with a referendum, or a public vote to change the Constitution.  

All Australian citizens over 18 must vote and, to succeed, the majority of voters across the nation, as well as the majority of voters in a majority of states, must approve the referendum–a ‘double majority’ if you will. 

There have been 44 referendums since 1906, with the most recent one in 1999 to insert a preamble into the Constitution, which actually wasn’t approved.

 

So, what is the Indigenous Voice to Parliament then?

The Voice would be an Indigenous Advisory Board that would provide the government with advice on matters relating to First Nations people.  

It would not make laws or override government, but it would be an official representative body that gives Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a say in the laws and policies that affect them. 

The Constitution does not currently recognise First Nations people, which is why Aussies are being asked to vote on whether to add an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. 

The request came from the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which outlined the path forward for recognising First Nations people in Australia’s Constitution. It was endorsed by 250 First Nations leaders and delivered in 2017, with a Voice to Parliament the first request for reform. 

The ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question people will be asked is: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

 

 

 

 

 

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Yes, or no?

Of course, that decision is completely up to you, but the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has published their official Yes and No arguments, which were prepped by federal politicians on both sides of the debate.  

You can read them all here, which we highly recommend you do because we cannot stress how important it is to have all the facts in order to make your decision (however it’s also worth noting that the AEC doesn’t have legislative authority to fact check the yes/no cases, so keep that in mind). 

Our political parties have also taken their stance on the issue publicly, with the Labor Party (the ones in power now) and the Greens both in favour of the Voice, while the Liberal Party and National Party both oppose it.  

How do I have my say?

Now that you’ve got all the facts and (hopefully) are feeling informed about the Voice, it’s time to vote! 

First step: Enrolment. It’s Vital with a capital V to ensure you’re enrolled to vote before Monday 18 September. That’s no time to procrastinate, friends. 

If you’ve voted in any past elections, like last year’s federal election, then you can rest easy because you’ll be automatically enrolled for this referendum.

If you’re not sure of your enrolment status, or if you need to enrol, visit the AEC website. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by AEC (@auselectoralcom)

The actual referendum will take place on Saturday 14 October, when you can go down to a school or community centre, and you’ll receive a single paper with the referendum question on it.

Remember: you need to clearly write ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ in the box–a cross won’t count as an answer! 

If you’re out of town or just can’t get to a polling booth on the day, you can send in a postal vote, so long as you apply for this option before Wednesday 11 October. All the deets you need for that are here.  

If you’re overseas, voting isn’t compulsory. But if you want to have your say, which you defs should, you can cast your vote at an international voting centre, like an Australian Embassy or Consulate, or send a postal vote. Learn more about that here. 

Remember, your vote (and your voice) matters.