We have written to our national leaders, the prime Minister and Opposition Leader asking for bipartisan commitment, in lock step, on the need for recognition of Indigenous people in our Constitution through a Voice.
Every Prime Minister since John Howard (8 of them) has supported the need for recognition of First Nations people in the Australian Constitution. Most Australians have been supportive too over a long period.
While we welcome debate, debate about the detail belongs in the Parliament. Politicians must work together now and in the lead up to the referendum to prepare the details that can satisfy both parties for when we need them after the successful referendum.
The question for the referendum is really do you support recognition and inclusion of Indigenous Australians? Do you want to build a new partnership with us based on recognition, for the benefit of all Australians?”
All politicians can contribute to the detail in the usual way – through the Parliament when the detail is legislated after a successful referendum.
We are still a nation that does not recognise its Indigenous people in this founding document – our national birth certificate. Constitutional recognition will bridge 65,000 years of our life, unique heritage, cultures and languages, with the more recent 250 years of contemporary Australia.
This (the referendum) is about that recognition. We’ve been excluded from the nation’s founding document, the constitution, for too long.
We urge our national leaders to work hard together towards a successful referendum – recognition of First nations in our Constitution is the first step towards reconciliation.