PeakCare’s position on the Voice to Parliament referendum (2023)
PeakCare Queensland is proud to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and supports the call for a Yes vote in the upcoming referendum on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, in line with the published views of a majority of our Member organisations.
As the largest consensus of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on a proposal for substantive recognition in Australian history, the Uluru Statement from the Heart is an invitation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to all Australians, inviting us to walk together on a path of recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, towards a better future.
The Statement from the Heart seeks to create a culture of empowerment that allows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to take a rightful place in their own country. The Statement from the Heart includes reference to establishing a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution.
PeakCare Queensland is committed to supporting self-determination for the First Peoples of Australia and to addressing the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection and youth justice systems. We believe the Voice to Parliament will be a significant first step in recognising the special and important place Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold in Australia’s history and our future.
Constitutional reform is crucial to recognise the sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, which has never been ceded and co-exists with the sovereignty of the Crown. A Voice to Parliament will ensure that First Nations peoples can inform the policies and laws that impact their lives and therefore, provide a means to positively influence pathways to self-determination, opportunities and leadership.
While we recognise and respect the diversity of views held by the public and within our Member organisations, and encourage the development of respectful and informed discussion, PeakCare Queensland is committed to supporting the Voice to Parliament. We will publicly express our support and collaborate and share resources that promote understanding of the Voice and its importance to all Australians.
Find out more about the Voice at the Australian Government’s website.
Response to Outcome
PeakCare Queensland stands with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners, friends, colleagues and neighbours experiencing grief and sorrow today.
We unite in a week of silence with First Nations peoples to allow space to process the outcome, and consider what this might mean for the future. PeakCare is committed to supporting reconciliation and self-determination as a way towards equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
For any First Nations peoples experiencing distress at this outcome, 13YARN offers 24/7 crisis support nationwide to yarn without judgement on 13 92 76.
Always was, always will be.
