The Voice - Why voting yes it is important, safe & practical

Yes23 Sutherland Shire would invites you to join us for this important information session and Q&A with the opportunity to hear from the Co-Chair of the Yes23 Campaign, Rachel Perkins, and the former Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians and Liberal MP, Julian Leeser.

Date: Monday 18 September 2023

Time: 6.30pm for 7.00pm start (concluding at 9.00pm)

Location: Sutherland Arts Theatre, 25 East Parade, Sutherland

Cost: FREE

Rachel Perkins is an award-winning film-maker and Arrente and Kalkadoon woman from Alice Springs.
In Rachel's words:

“Once you have the conversation, people’s minds really open up to it... The important thing is to not tell people how to vote. You just provide people with the information, the history behind it, and then let them make their own minds up.”
“It’s overdue that there’s some recognition of the 65,000 years that Indigenous people have been here. That’s part of our national identity and there should be a place for that in our constitution,” Perkins says. “But it’s not just symbolism, it has a practical aspect in that the establishment of the Voice as part of the constitution will enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have a say, not a veto, just to be consulted about policies and laws that affect them".

Julian Leeser is the former Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians and Liberal MP for Berowra.
According to Mr Leeser:

"It is important not to see this referendum through the usual politics of Liberal vs Labor. This is about the question we are being asked.We can't continue as we have been given the gap between the outcomes for Indigenous Australians and the rest of the country.This is one of the most prosperous countries on earth, in my view the greatest country on earth... but there is a gap that doesn't close regardless of who is in government, regardless of the amount of goodwill, regardless of the amount of money and that is because structurally we are not listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples".

THE QUESTION - YES OR NO

“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?”

“Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

1. there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
2. the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
3. the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.”

Event Tile: Auth by J. Gray, Dharawal Country, 2226