Victoria’s Surf Coast Shire Council has declared its support for constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples through a Voice to Parliament.
At its meeting yesterday, the Council publicly supported a body enshrined in the Constitution that will enable advice to the Parliament on policies and projects that impact indigenous lives.
The Council also committed to sharing clear, unambiguous information with the community, enabling residents to make a considered and informed choice in the referendum.
“Our commitment to Reconciliation and self-determination, combined with community expectations, means it is important that Council takes a public stance in supporting The Voice. We believe this is a timely and just path to take,” said Mayor, Liz Pattison (pictured).
“We will not, however, seek to influence how individuals choose to vote.
“The Voice to Parliament has arisen from the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which is a letter to the Australian People from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It calls for three main things: An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Australian Constitution, Truth Telling and Makarrata or Treaty.”
Mayor Pattison said the Voice to Parliament was not a political party policy.
“We’re the only country that has yet to acknowledge its First Nations people in their Constitution,” she said.
The Mayor said First Nations people have consistently called for self-determination, rather than symbolism, in representing and responding to their interests. The recent success of the Pilk Purriyn truth-telling event, presented in partnership with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, was a great example of this approach, she said.
Between October and December 2023, a referendum will be held in which Australians will vote on whether to update the Constitution to include an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
