The 1967 referendum was important but achieved little. The Voice changes that
In an article published in Crikey, Professors Melissa Castan and Lynette Russell share an edited extract from their recent book, Time to Listen: An Indigenous Voice to Parliament (Monash University Publishing).
While the referendum removed constitutional provisions that excluded Indigenous Australians from the census and allowed the federal government to legislate for them, it did not grant Indigenous peoples a voice in the legislative process.
Lynette and Melissa argue that, despite the referendum's symbolic significance, governments have continued to develop policies for Aboriginal people without their genuine involvement.
They contend that the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament represents a meaningful shift, aiming to ensure that Indigenous Australians are not only subjects of policy but active participants in shaping decisions that affect their communities.
Photo by Johan Mouchet on Unsplash.
The full article is available via Crickey. Read the original article. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that this article mentions a deceased person.