What will we vote on in the referendum?

When we go to vote in the referendum, we’ll get a ballot form with a description of some changes to the Constitution, and a question: Do you agree with these changes?

The changes that Prime Minister Albanese has put forward are:

• to add a new chapter to the Constitution, called “Chapter IX-Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples”
• the new Chapter IX will have one section (which will be the 129th in the whole document) called “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice”
• that section’s text will be:

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

1. there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
2. the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
3. the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.

So we’ll be asked, yes or no, if we approve of this change. You can have a read of the current Constitution online if you like, they’ve got it in PDF as well.

The people who wrote the Uluru Statement seem pretty happy with the suggested change. Firstly because it recognises that they were living here in many nations before the UK showed up to colonise the continent. And secondly because it sets up a new legal body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

The Voice will be able to tell the government (parliament plus all the departments) what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people think should be done on issues to do with them. And Parliament will be able to make laws about the Voice as well as about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Yes23 Campaign represents people who think this is a good change. But obviously you’re never going to get the 23 million people living in Australia right now to all agree on something, so there are a few No campaigns as well.

And there are a lot of people who are a bit confused. Like me, a few months ago! I’d read the Uluru Statement and heard from some of the people on the Yes23 campaign, and thought it sounded good. But when I looked at the referendum question I thought it was pretty vague when you consider what the Voice is supposed to do. Since then I’ve done some research and I’ll share it on this site in case it helps people make their own decision.