For those of you following along, here in Australia we’re getting close to the submission deadline for comment on the Indigenous Voice co-design process, with final submissions due on the 31st of March.
From the zoom lecture I attended I found out that the Minister of Indigenous Affairs Ken Wyatt has not sought to push for a constitutional change, making the Indigenous Voice a government mandated rather than a constitutionally recognised position.
As per the Uluru Statement Supporters Kit:
There is a real risk is that constitutional recognition will be separated from the idea of a First Nations Voice. This risks the government putting in place a legislative Voice and pursuing a symbolic form of constitutional recognition that does not accord with the wishes of First Nations people themselves.
USFH+Interactive+Supporters+Kit+3+MAR+21.pdf
As the Kit also states:
We are calling on all Australians to walk with us in support of a Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution.
A First Nations Voice, protected by the Constitution, will mean that agreement-making and truth-telling can finally be done on equal terms. With Voice, we can begin the journey of coming together after a struggle
– Makarrata.
USFH+Interactive+Supporters+Kit+3+MAR+21.pdf
For anyone located on the land we now call Australia, I encourage you to take this week to engage in the Uluru Statement week of action. First download and read the kit – it’s short, it’s pithy and contains a bunch of supporter images – here: https://ulurustatement.org/supporter-kit
Then watch the online resources at the The Uluru Statement website, and on their Vimeo page (as mentioned I watched Briefing 1 from there as it happened – in fact it was mostly a listen while I was sawing – and I’ll be doing the same of Briefing 2 today – too easy!) so by Friday I’ll be writing my submission along with a whole bunch of people.
The Submission Generator on the website will even walk you through it so it’s easy to get involved and support The Uluru Statement in its time of need.
From one concerned Aussie to another, thank you
One response to “The Uluru Statement needs you!”
Good on ya for pushing this.