3 July 2023

The question Australians will be asked later this year is: Do you support a change to the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?

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Major sporting codes and clubs across Australia have come out in support, along with more than 120 multicultural communities and groups, unions and faith groups.

In fact, more than 500 organisations have already signed up to support a Yes vote.

Doing things differently

I’m grateful to companies such as Qantas, Wesfarmers, ANZ, Lendlease and Woolworths which have already lent their support, along with the Business Council of Australia and many others.

Australia’s business community overwhelmingly understands the importance of reconciliation, and the obligation we all have to building a better future for some of the most disadvantaged people in Australia.

They understand the importance of recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s rightful place in our Constitution. It is recognition that giving Indigenous Australians a voice will lead to better policies that make a practical difference.

The Voice is a chance to do things differently. Because more of the same simply isn’t good enough.

As Michael Chaney, Wesfarmers’ chairman and a board member of Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition, said recently, a different approach is needed to address entrenched disadvantage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

And he is right that the eyes of the world are on us as we head towards this watershed moment.

A successful referendum will show the world that we are a mature nation.

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