Momentous day for federal constitutional change in Australia as the Prime Minister announces the draft question to be put to referendum later this year to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and enshrine their Voice to Parliament in the Constitution. It’s 24 years since this has happened, all the way back to the first republic referendum in 1999. The single question of principle is yet to be debated in draft legislation to pass through the federal parliament by June following reference to a parliamentary committee for an inquiry lasting six weeks. The Constitutional Alteraration bill is due to be tabled in the House of Representatives on 30 March. The precise form of The Voice and its operations will be decided by federal Parliament after the referendum vote. An exciting and inspiring day as this also takes us one step closer to the Republic referendum expected by 2028 if the current Government is returned for a second term. For full dertails of the recognition question and the actual changes it will make the Constitution, click on the link. [“We now know exactly what question the Voice referendum will ask Australians. A constitutional law expert explains” by Professor Anne Twomey, The Conversation online, 24 March 2023]
Woman for an Australian Republic, Adelaide Ironside, republican poet and artist 1831-1867
Self portrait 1855, Newcastle Art Gallery NSW
