MEDIA STATEMENT
27 June 2023
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney to visit Wodonga for Community Forum
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will visit Wodonga to take part in a Community Forum about the upcoming referendum.
To be held on Tuesday July 25 at The Cube in Wodonga, the Forum will also include Independent Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines and Yes23 Campaign Director Dean Parkin.
Later this year, Australians will have their say in a referendum on recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia in the Constitution, through an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
The Voice would be an independent, representative body for First Nations peoples.
The Community Forum gives people the chance to find out more about the Voice, why it’s needed and how it will improve lives. It is open to all community members, is free to attend, and will also be streamed online.
This is an opportunity for our community to come together, learn, and engage in a constructive conversation about the Voice referendum and its potential impact. The Voice was a key ask from the Uluru Statement from the Heart which was an invitation to all Australians to recognise the ancestral ties that have existed for over 60,000 years and empower all First Nations people to have a voice in their future.
“I am delighted Minister Linda Burney is visiting us in Wodonga, sharing her knowledge and experience as we approach this referendum,” Dr Haines said.
“In the lead up to the referendum, I want to help people feel fully informed as they make their decision and that is why I invited Minister Burney and Dean Parkin to Indi, so people can hear from them first hand.”
Dr Haines has engaged with the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Voice to Parliament proposal for many years.
“In the last Parliament, I was a member of Minister for Indigenous Australians Parliamentary Working Group, working with former Minister Ken Wyatt,” she said.
“Many people in Indi also participated in the consultation process steered by Professor Marcia Langton and Professor Tom Calma.”
“I have had many conversations with people across Indi about the Voice. These have been respectful and thoughtful conversations and I hope we can all approach this debate with an open mind.
“I support this simple yet powerful change to the Constitution to consult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians on issues that affect them. I believe this will create practical change in improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
What: Voice to Parliament Community Forum
When: Tuesday 25th July, 7.30-9pm
Where: Join us in person at the Cube, Wodonga or via our livestream
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/indi