Over the last two days, the Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, the Federal Attorney-General Julian Leeser, the Special Envoy for Reconciliation and the Implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart Pat Dodson, met with the Federal Voice to Parliament Referendum Working Group and Referendum Engagement Group on Kaurna Land.

The Working Group also met with Acting Premier Susan Close and the SA Attorney General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher, to discuss progress towards a First Nations Voice to Parliament. The working group was excited to hear about the progress here, and supports South Australia’s movement to ensure that voices in remote and regional communities are heard.

The Working Group received an update on the Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Amendment Bill 2022, which will be further considered by the Senate next week. The Working Group continued its discussion on the wording of the proposed amendments to the Constitution to include an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament and progressed the wording of the question on the ballot paper.

The Government will introduce the Constitution Alteration Bill to Parliament in the final sitting week of March. The bill will define the question Australians will be asked at the referendum and contain the proposed amendment to the Constitution. This will be followed by a comprehensive parliamentary inquiry. This process will provide Australians, including First Nations people, with the chance to make formal submissions on the proposed constitutional amendments and the question to be put to the Australian people.

The group addressed the media on Friday morning, the 17th March to discuss progress and tell South Australians about the special Parliament sitting day on Sunday, 26th March when all South Australians are invited to take free public transport a partially closed-off North Terrace and hear the South Australians Voice to Parliament Bill officially passed in Parliament and proclaimed by the Governor of South Australia.

Hear directly from SA Attorney General and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Kyam Maher, Referendum Working Party representative Thomas Major, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney and Federal Attorney-General Julian Leeser....

Faith Thomas AM: ahead of her time