2023 Referendum Project

Empowerment, Engagement and Education

In 2023, Australians will vote in a referendum to decide whether to amend the Constitution to entrench an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. The Voice is one of the key recommendations of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. For many Australians, recognition of Indigenous people in the Constitution and an Indigenous Voice to Parliament is the start of Australia’s journey of nation-building.

Western Sydney University Law School is committed to playing its part in one of the most important national debates in our country’s history. The Law School believes that students are important ambassadors for open and informed communication and debate with the wider public.

In 2023, the Law School will run a range of programs and projects aimed at informing the University and the broader community about the legal and political implications of constitutional amendment.

The 2023 Referendum project includes:

The history of the dialogues that led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart can be found here: https://ulurustatement.org/the-statement/history/

The Statement is an invitation from First Nations Peoples to all Australians for reforms to strengthen the relationship between Australia and First Nations. It calls for a Voice to Parliament and a Makarrata Commission. The Voice to Parliament is the step the Government is now focusing on.  

It is a way of making sure that Indigenous issues get decided after proper consultation with affected communities. Having the Voice as a part of the Constitution means that Governments need to make such representation permanent.

A referendum is the only way to change Australia’s Constitution. A referendum is when voters are asked to answer 'yes' or 'no' to a particular question or questions and is compulsory for enrolled voters. A referendum to change the constitution requires a certain procedure that is found in the constitution itself. It requires a majority of people and a majority of States to vote for change.

A Voice to Parliament does not mean a veto on legislation or bills but it will mean consultation with communities on issues directly affecting First Nations communities. Having the Voice enshrined in the Constitution will mean any future Parliament cannot disband consultation. The Parliament will pass a Bill that will set up the body with the normal processes by our representatives to vote, change and amend the procedures and processes.

WSU Law School is committed to educating the public around the real legal effects of the referendum to help mitigate the misinformation that constantly arises about the issue. We are not set on making people vote ‘yes’, but we do believe democracy requires an INFORMED opinion. We see our role as a Law School as an important part of this type of education and the role of our students as important ambassadors for open and informed communication and debate with the wider public.  

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