A FIRST NATIONS VOICE IN SA

March 26 will forever be remembered as the day that North Terrace was transformed into a sea of red, black, yellow, green and blue, as thousands descended upon the steps of Parliament to celebrate Australia’s first First Nations Voice Bill officially passing in both houses of the State Government.

Braving wet weather, five thousand South Australians from all backgrounds and walks of life stood shoulder to shoulder to witness history in the making, as First Nations representatives walked the Royal Arms copy of the Bill inside a special Coolamon as part of the ceremony.

Historically, our state has led the way in achieving parliamentary firsts.

In 1844, SA was the first state to adopt the legal provision that evidence from Aboriginal people could be accepted in courts of law.

In 1876, SA was the first jurisdiction within the British Empire to legalise trade unions.

In 1894, SA became the first Australian state, and fourth jurisdiction in the world, to grant women the right to vote (including Aboriginal women). That same year we also became the first in the world to grant women the right to stand as members of parliament.

Crowd at the Ceremony, via Talara McHugh

Now in 2023, we have become the first to pass a First Nations Voice Bill, ahead of the upcoming referendum that will decide whether the Australian Constitution is altered to recognise and enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Federal Parliament.

WHAT IS THE SA FIRST NATIONS BILL?

The SA First Nations Voice Bill 2023 was introduced to Parliament in February, proposing a ‘connected, direct and independent’ line of communica tion for First Nations people to South Australia’s Parliament to allow important, shared communication by locally elected regional members.

The SA Voice will be an independent advisory body that has the right to address Parliament on legislation that concerns First Nations people. The purpose of the Voice is to give First Nations people the right to have their voices heard by Parliament, and to ensure their views are taken into account during the decision-making process.

The Voice is NOT a third chamber of Parliament, NOR does it have the power to change, stop, or veto what the Parliament decides to do.

Additionally, the implementation of the SA Voice did not change the state’s Constitution - meaning it can be removed by any future government.

WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?

The SA Voice will be community-led, inclusive, culturally informed, accountable, and transparent. It will work alongside existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and traditional tructures.

Forty-six representatives across six regions will be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in an election later this year, and aim to be representative of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, including youth.

Two representatives from each region will form the SA Voice, a group of twelve representatives who will be able to speak before the SA Parliament at the second reading stage of any bill.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A FIRST NATIONS VOICE TO PARLIAMENT?

At its heart, the SA Voice aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices across the state and ensure that we are heard through our own elected representatives.

Historically, the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been disregarded and diminished, especially by governments and lawmakers.

After the invasion of colonists, First Nations people were stripped of their land, rights, and freedom. All that we had left was our voice, and since then people have argued whether or not our voices hold any value in our country - a direct result of institutionalised racism.

It wasn’t until 1962 that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were granted the right to vote in federal elections for the first time. But voting wasn’t compulsory and encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to enrol was a criminal offence. This wasn’t amended until 1984 when voting was made compulsory for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, finally granting us equal voting rights in our own country - almost two-hundred years post colonisation.

There continues to be debate on whether or not our voices should be counted, and if a voice is even necessary.

Not every First Nations person is in favour of the state Voice. Many are concerned about how it will be representative of the 30+ groups in the state, all of which hold their own distinctive beliefs, cultural practices and languages. There is also concern with how the national Voice will represent the 250+ First Nations groups across the country. That being said, if we get this right, I have faith that the Voice can help achieve great things for our community, by driving real and meaningful change as the first step in the full implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

According to the Uluru Statement, first comes the enshrinement of a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution. Next, the establishment of a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of truth-telling about our history and agreement-making between governments and First Nations. These processes will help pave the way for truth-telling and treaty.

The SA Voice will lead by example as either a success or failure, under the watchful eye of the nation, and set the tone for the referendum vote.

In the meantime, keep listening and engaging with different First Nations voices.