The Council of the Law Society of NSW has announced their support for the proposal to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice in the Australian Constitution.
Society President, Cassandra Banks, said “the paramount voices in respect of issues concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples themselves. We urge Australians to prioritise these voices in discussions of the Voice to Parliament, which was called for in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
“The Uluru Statement from the Heart was the result of a series of regional dialogues, the purpose of which was to consult and educate on constitutional reform, resulting in a consensus statement developed and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“We recognise that there are many views held across the country, by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike, regarding the merits of the enshrinement in the Constitution of a Voice to Parliament. We acknowledge that debates about the composition, resourcing, political authority, and enduring impact of the Voice will not be resolved until after the referendum process is complete, and that that is a source of concern for some. We particularly respect the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been waiting for decades for reconciliation and policy reform.
“In our view, the constitutional amendment proposed is a modest one, that appropriately leaves detailed questions of design on ‘composition, functions, powers and procedures’ up to Parliament. This approach accommodates the need to allow for the Voice as a body to evolve and improve over time, and to respond to the issues of the day.
“In providing this support, the Council of the Law Society acknowledges the diversity of opinion in the community, and within the Law Society’s membership, on this important matter, noting that all Australians will have the opportunity to express their view when asked to vote on the Referendum.”
The full statement can be read here.
Tertangala will be publishing a pamphlet of essays addressing the Voice referendum, which will take place later this year.
Australia witnessed its last referendum in 1999, meaning people under the age of 42 will not have voted in one before.
Photo: Greens MPS, Flickr