In May 2017, over 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Delegates from all points of the Southern Sky gathered in Mutitjulu in the shadow of Uluru and put their signatures on a historic statement.

The Uluru Statement From The Heart, addressed to the Australian people, invited the nation to create a better future via the proposal of key reforms. One of those key reforms was enshrining a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution.

On 23 March 2023, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the exact wording of the referendum question.

“a Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait voice.”

The referendum, which it was announced on 30 August 2023 will be held on October 14, marks a milestone in the fight for First Nations recognition and empowerment.

Come join JATL on Monday, 11 September between 2pm and 3pm to listen to a panel discussion on the Voice to Parliament. We will hear opinions from three First Nations experts on a range of questions, including the constitutionality of the Voice, how the Voice would look and work in practice, whether it will in-fact ‘close the gap’, as well as other frequently raised concerns.

Our panel, which is sponsored in-part by Hall&Wilcox, will include:

• Ms. Allira Davis, the co-chair of the Uluru Youth Summit and the co-convenor of the Uluru Youth Dialogues

• Mr. Kevin Williams, a First Nations Professor of Law at the University of the Sunshine Coast

• Mr. Marcus Waters, an internationally renowned published First Nations playwright, screenwriter, journalist and academic at Griffith University.

• Dr. Dylan Lino, a Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Queensland, who will be MC for the event.

Registration to attend the event is free.

Food and drinks will be provided at the close of the panel (at 3pm).