Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) will always support initiatives that support the self determination of Gumala Members and First Nations Australians.
Given this, GAC supports the recommendations made in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
In the Uluru Statement from the Heart Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people asked to be recognized in three pillars of substantive reform:
- Voice– a constitutionally enshrined representative mechanism to provide expert advice to Parliament about laws and policies that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Treaty – a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations peoples that acknowledges the historical and contemporary cultural rights and interests of First Peoples by formally recognising sovereignty, and that land was never ceded.
- Truth – a comprehensive process to expose the full extent of injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, to enable shared understanding of Australia’s colonial history and its contemporary impacts.
The Constitution is the highest law in the land and at 122 years old, does not recognise the unique and important contributions of the First Australians. The inclusion of ATSI voices enshrined in the Constitution means we can ensure that ATSI people are heard and recognised in the parliamentary process. The Voice will create a solid foundation for us to continue to build toward Treaty and then Truth.
For Gumala, many of our people care very deeply about our self-determination and there are a diverse range of opinions about The Voice and the effectiveness it will bring for ASTI and more specifically the Gumala people.
Supporting The Voice means:
- Recognising and respecting 65,000 years of Indigenous culture for the first time in Australia’s 122-year-old constitution.
- Listening to advice from ATSI people about matters that affect their lives, so governments make better decisions.
- Protecting the Voice from politics and bureaucrats by putting it in the constitution, giving it the security it needs to provide meaningful and honest advice.
- Over 80% of the ATSI community support this proposal. It has been designed and agreed on by ATSI leaders over many decades.
While GAC confidently supports The Voice, we acknowledge the concerns people have. We encourage our Members and key stakeholders to make an informed decision regarding The Voice. Making an informed decision regarding the voice means consuming information from trusted and credible sources and attending consultations sessions across Australia to have discussions and concerns addressed.
This opportunity has been years in the making and it is our hope at Gumala that all people will understand the positive impact that The Voice could have and vote ‘yes’ for The Voice on 14 October 2023.
To register your support for The Voice follow this link: https://www.yes23.com.au/
