14 October 2023 – Referendum – Indigenous Voice to Parliament

Referendum – Indigenous Voice to Parliament – 14 October 2023

You as “voters” will be asked a question.

 Q: Should we alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament?

* Electors can only answer in the box with a “yes” or “no”.

** Voting informally, invalidly, or not voting at all is effectively giving a vote to the winner, as it fails to oppose their win.

 

A NO vote will make no change to the Constitution and maintain race-blindness, citizen equality, and voter elected representation, as well as the maintain the Rule of Law.

 

A YES vote will change the Constitution by introducing race distinction between citizens of Australia, into one of two categories: i. the Indigenous people of Australia, and ii. the non-Indigenous people of Australia.

This will create a new chapter in Australia’s Constitution, Chapter IX-Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to the Constitution.

The new chapter would include a new section 129, which would be as follows:

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.

This race-based chapter is actually not about “recognition”, it’s “in recognition of…” race that gives a special group of unknown Indigenous people, special race-based powers, and a special race-based voice to parliament without actually being elected to Parliament by the electors. This chapter will give selected Indigenous people only, a Voice that will speak only for Indigenous people and not all Australians.

As such, a YES vote effectively and actually introduces racism into Australia’s Constitution and give the Constitution power to discriminate against non-Indigenous people by not giving them a special race-based voice to parliament, a special set of funded functions, powers and procedures.

You can vote if you are enrolled to vote

Check your Enrolment status HERE

Apply for a postal vote HERE

 

Reference: https://www.aec.gov.au/referendums/