Why the Voice to Parliament matters

At BSL, we support Australia’s First Nations people in seeking a Voice to Parliament in the upcoming referendum, as well as the treaty and truth telling processes outlined in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

All of these elements align with our values as a social justice organisation and our vision for an Australia free of poverty.

The significance of the Uluru Statement and proposed Voice to Parliament was the focus of BSL’s Sambell Oration in December 2022. At the end of February, BSL staff attended the launch of the YES campaign in Adelaide to support a First Nations Voice to Parliament. This was in response to the generous offer of First Nations people for us to walk with them on this important journey.

Now that the proposed words for Constitutional change have been put to Parliament for debate, we look forward to working with all the communities we work in and collaborating with other community and business organisations to help deliver a favourable result in the referendum. We believe this will create a better Australia and lead to many positive outcomes in areas such as healthcare, employment, justice, and housing for First Nations people.

Our own elder, Uncle John Baxter, has been a leading voice both within and outside the organisation and explains in a video on our website why the proposed change is so important.

Want to know more?

There are many ways you to show your support, including: 

• Attend a Voice event such as the Start a Yarn where you can join listening and reflection sessions on the Uluru Statement and Voice to Parliament. You can book in for a yarn here .
• Have a conversation by signing up for a Together Yes kitchen table conversation where you can engage with others in respectful and honest dialogue about this change.

Alternatively, visit https://fromtheheart.com.au/ or the UluruDialogues for more information.