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Indigenous Voice to Parliament
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, also known as the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the First Nations Voice or simply the Voice, was a proposed Australian federal advisory body that would comprise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, intended to represent the views of Indigenous communities. The Voice as proposed by the Albanese government would have had the power to make representations to the Parliament of Australia and executive government on matters relating to Indigenous Australians. The specific form of the Voice was to be determined by legislation passed by Parliament had the referendum succeeded.
A referendum to amend the Australian Constitution to recognise Indigenous Australians in the document by prescribing the Voice was held on 14 October 2023. It was unsuccessful, with a majority of voters both nationwide and in all states voting against the proposal. The idea of such a body came to prominence after being endorsed by Indigenous leaders in the Uluru Statement from the Heart of 2017. While initially rejected by the then Coalition Turnbull government, the subsequent Labor Albanese government endorsed the proposal and promised to hold a referendum on the topic. Both Coalition parties in the federal opposition opposed the Voice however, whether legislatively or constitutionally implemented.
Under the government-endorsed design principles of the First Nations Referendum Working Group (Referendum Working Group or RWG), the membership of the Voice would have been selected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the country, with an enforced gender balance at the national level. It remains legally possible for the Voice (or alternative proposals) to be introduced by legislation rather than by amendment to the Constitution; however, the current government stated before the referendum they would not legislate a Voice in the event of a No vote and have subsequently stuck to this position.
Indigenous Australians have long called for better representation, with William Cooper seeking in 1933 to petition King George V for the inclusion of a member of parliament to represent Indigenous people. In 1967, the first Indigenous referendum was held.
Prior to 1967, the federal government did not have the power to create laws specifically for Indigenous Australians, with section 51(xxvi) giving the Parliament the power to make laws with respect to "the people of any race, other than the aboriginal race in any State". This exclusion, along with another provision that prevented the counting of Indigenous Australians in the population for constitutional purposes, was deleted following the 1967 referendum in which over 90% of Australians voted yes to the changes.
Additionally, since 1973 various Indigenous advisory bodies have been created in response to activist lobbying. Later in 1992, calls for the recognition of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution emerged in the context of the Keating Government's response to the Mabo decision.
Since 1973, there have been five national Indigenous bodies advising Australian governments. Four were elected and one (the National Indigenous Council) was appointed by the federal government. Other state and territory Indigenous advisory bodies have also been established in some jurisdictions since 2008.
The National Aboriginal Consultative Committee (NACC) was created in February 1973 by the Whitlam government's minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Gordon Bryant, with the help of Charles Perkins. Its principal function was to advise the Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) and the minister on issues of concern to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Its members were elected by Indigenous people, who had a turnout of 78% of the 36,338 people on its electoral roll, in November 1973. While it maintained a good relationship with Bryant, it had strong detractors in the DAA. The NACC saw itself as a legislative body, while the government expected them to be purely advisory, and this, along with other conflicts over the name, funding levels and control led to the end of the organisation. The Fraser government commissioned the 1976 Hiatt Committee review of the body, which concluded that it had not functioned as a consultative committee nor been effective in providing advice to government or making its activities known to most Aboriginal people.
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Indigenous Voice to Parliament
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, also known as the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the First Nations Voice or simply the Voice, was a proposed Australian federal advisory body that would comprise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, intended to represent the views of Indigenous communities. The Voice as proposed by the Albanese government would have had the power to make representations to the Parliament of Australia and executive government on matters relating to Indigenous Australians. The specific form of the Voice was to be determined by legislation passed by Parliament had the referendum succeeded.
A referendum to amend the Australian Constitution to recognise Indigenous Australians in the document by prescribing the Voice was held on 14 October 2023. It was unsuccessful, with a majority of voters both nationwide and in all states voting against the proposal. The idea of such a body came to prominence after being endorsed by Indigenous leaders in the Uluru Statement from the Heart of 2017. While initially rejected by the then Coalition Turnbull government, the subsequent Labor Albanese government endorsed the proposal and promised to hold a referendum on the topic. Both Coalition parties in the federal opposition opposed the Voice however, whether legislatively or constitutionally implemented.
Under the government-endorsed design principles of the First Nations Referendum Working Group (Referendum Working Group or RWG), the membership of the Voice would have been selected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the country, with an enforced gender balance at the national level. It remains legally possible for the Voice (or alternative proposals) to be introduced by legislation rather than by amendment to the Constitution; however, the current government stated before the referendum they would not legislate a Voice in the event of a No vote and have subsequently stuck to this position.
Indigenous Australians have long called for better representation, with William Cooper seeking in 1933 to petition King George V for the inclusion of a member of parliament to represent Indigenous people. In 1967, the first Indigenous referendum was held.
Prior to 1967, the federal government did not have the power to create laws specifically for Indigenous Australians, with section 51(xxvi) giving the Parliament the power to make laws with respect to "the people of any race, other than the aboriginal race in any State". This exclusion, along with another provision that prevented the counting of Indigenous Australians in the population for constitutional purposes, was deleted following the 1967 referendum in which over 90% of Australians voted yes to the changes.
Additionally, since 1973 various Indigenous advisory bodies have been created in response to activist lobbying. Later in 1992, calls for the recognition of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution emerged in the context of the Keating Government's response to the Mabo decision.
Since 1973, there have been five national Indigenous bodies advising Australian governments. Four were elected and one (the National Indigenous Council) was appointed by the federal government. Other state and territory Indigenous advisory bodies have also been established in some jurisdictions since 2008.
The National Aboriginal Consultative Committee (NACC) was created in February 1973 by the Whitlam government's minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Gordon Bryant, with the help of Charles Perkins. Its principal function was to advise the Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) and the minister on issues of concern to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Its members were elected by Indigenous people, who had a turnout of 78% of the 36,338 people on its electoral roll, in November 1973. While it maintained a good relationship with Bryant, it had strong detractors in the DAA. The NACC saw itself as a legislative body, while the government expected them to be purely advisory, and this, along with other conflicts over the name, funding levels and control led to the end of the organisation. The Fraser government commissioned the 1976 Hiatt Committee review of the body, which concluded that it had not functioned as a consultative committee nor been effective in providing advice to government or making its activities known to most Aboriginal people.