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19 September 2023

All you need to know about voting in the Voice to Parliament referendum

On Saturday 14 October, a referendum will be held on the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

It is vital that everyone who is eligible to vote considers the weight and importance of the question fully, and informs themselves of the history and issues that sit behind the referendum.

The last referendum in Australia (which proposed that Australia should become a republic) was held in 1999 – before many of our current students were even born! So, here’s a handy guide to the upcoming referendum to help you understand what to do and where to get the right information.

What is a referendum?

A referendum is a vote to change the Australian Constitution. The federal government proposes the change and eligible voters have their say by voting ‘YES’ or ‘NO’.

To pass, the referendum must be approved by BOTH a majority of voters across the nation AND a majority of voters in a majority of states (at least four) – this is called a ‘double majority’.

A referendum is run by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on behalf of the federal government.

At the Voice referendum, the following question will be asked:

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?

What is the Voice?

The proposed Voice to Parliament will be ‘an independent, representative advisory body for First Nations people’ to advise government and the broader parliament on issues that matter to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It will not have a veto function, and it won’t be responsible for delivering government policy.

The Voice will:

The Voice was proposed in the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart, which was developed through a series of regional dialogues involving more than 1200 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across the nation.

Do I have to vote?

Voting in a referendum is compulsory for all eligible Australian citizens aged 18 and over. If you’re enrolled to vote for elections, then you’re enrolled for the referendum. You can check your current electoral enrolment online. The federal electoral roll has closed, so it’s now too late to enrol or update your details for the referendum.

You can either vote:

How can I inform myself?

You may have heard differing opinions on the Voice in the media. Whether you’re inclined to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, or you’re not sure at this point, the most important thing is for you to access accurate and credible information.

Be wary of social media – misinformation and untruths are being published by those with extreme views. Instead, try these legitimate resources to inform your vote:



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