GetUp welcomes the announcement from the Prime Minister who today unveiled historic wording for the referendum to the Voice to Parliament after following the principles set out by the Referendum Working Group and listening to First Nations people.
GetUp will be campaigning in the lead up to this referendum to ensure the Government is focused squarely on giving thousands of First Nations people across the country the right to have a voice and the right to vote in a referendum that is tied closely to their vision for the future.
There is however still a large population of First Nations people missing from the electoral roll and there are incredible barriers for voting, particularly in remote communities and regional areas.
First Nations communities have said that provisional voting is crucial in this upcoming referendum. People should be able to elect the reforms that will be representing them.
GetUp CEO and Widjabul Wia-bal woman Larissa Baldwin-Roberts said:
“The Prime Minister has listened to and heard the voices of First Nations people both in the Working Group and across Australia and these deliberations will have a momentous impact on how we engage in the campaign and write ‘yes’ this referendum.
“This is a step in the right direction towards listening to First Nations people and supporting us to make decisions for our own communities.
“The GetUp movement will be joining together and taking action - we won't be able to see the overwhelming support across the country without it. The first step to a coordinated national effort is all of us coming together to understand the opportunity ahead of us.
“There is still a large population of First Nations people missing from the electoral roll and there are incredible barriers for voting, particularly in remote communities and regional areas.
“Together, we will continue to make our call to Labor loud and clear: ‘every step should be taken to ensure First Nations people of voting age can cast their vote in the referendum’.
“From the very beginnings of GetUp, we've fought and won on electoral reform and voting rights. Our movement has always been at the forefront of the fight against voter suppression. We believe that the power should be with the people and so the ability for people to vote is crucial in this process.
ENDS
Media contact, Amy Morgan, media@getup.org.au, +61 2 8188 2870
Notes to editors: Larissa Baldwin-Roberts is available for an interview on request.