On 13 September, we’re showing our solidarity for the Yes! vote on the Disability Sector Day of Solidarity for the Voice to Parliament. This day will be vital in generating and enhancing awareness and education in the disability community on a First Nations Voice.
Today is the Disability Sector National Day of Support for the Voice, where the disability community will come together to share information on the Voice to enhance education and awareness in the community.
While we understand people may have differing views – Yooralla as an organisation has adopted a position of support for the Voice to Parliament. We see support for the Voice as a way to improve disability outcomes for people and improve disability policy for First Nations people in the country.
Please take the time to access information, factsheets and resources about the upcoming referendum in your preferred language, so you can learn about the Voice and choose the vote is right for you when it comes time to hit the polls on 14 October.
To start you off, Life Without Barriers have created some great online resources, translated in 45 different languages.
More information and accessible resources
“We see support for the Voice as a way to improve disability outcomes for people and improve disability policy for First Nations people in the country.” - Terry Symonds, Yooralla CEO.
More about the 'Yes' Campaign
The Bill was introduced to parliament on 30 March 2023.
This will be voted on by the parliament – after debate – in June. The question is:
‘A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?’
While it may seem initially that there is no connection between the Voice to Parliament vote and what we do here at Yooralla, with statistics from The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability showing that First Nations people are more than twice as likely than the rest of the Australian community to have a disability - the vote is absolutely core business for a disability provider like ourselves.
We see support for the Voice as a way to improve disability outcomes for people and improve disability policy for First Nations people in this country. It is the position of the organisation that we’ve taken in consultation with the Board and Community Advisory committee to stand in support of the Voice to Parliament.
We encourage you to learn more about the Voice to Parliament by visiting:
- NIAA – The Australian Government website with details on Voice to Parliament
- YES23 Yes23 is a campaign led by Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition Ltd.
- Reconciliation Australia
- Uluru Statement.org