We are pleased to announce that the UCRH proudly endorses a yes vote for the upcoming referendum concerning the Voice to Parliament initiative.
Aboriginal members of staff have crafted the following statement of support, with the full support of our Management Group:
The University Centre for Rural Health supports a yes vote for the upcoming referendum for the Voice to Parliament.
The UCRH support many innovative Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led health and wellbeing projects and support Indigenous models of governance. The Voice referendum resonates with the UCRH’s vision to apply self-deterministic models for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander program delivery, whether it be its education, research & workforce development projects such Baribunmani Wanyi Ngay health education pathways program, CRE- STRIDE primary health care research project and the WellMob First Nations wellbeing website.
The Voice to Parliament stems from conversations had over many years and culminating as an action from the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The results of a YES vote would mean that a body would be set up that allows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to work directly with the government on policies and laws that directly or indirectly affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. How this differs from past ideas/processes is that as it is enshrined in the constitution, it cannot be unfunded or removed without another referendum. For example, ATISC was an organisation that had opportunities to affect policy and law but was defunded by the government – taking away Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples rights to vote for change.
This will also be the first time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are acknowledged in the constitution.
Everyone has the right to their own opinion about this issue, we respect this.
Please take the time to learn more about what it is we are all voting for.
