Skip to main contentSkip to navigation
Print subscriptions
Sign in
Search jobs
Search
The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian

Voices on the voice

Australians are being asked to vote on an Indigenous voice to parliament. It's important to hear what First Nations people have to say about the voice. This series aims to bring you the diverse views and opinions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from all over the country on what the voice - and the vote - means to them.

9 October 2023

  • happy Aboriginal kids playing on a swing set in the main street of Amoonguna Aboriginal Community

    I’m voting yes to the voice for a brighter future for all Australian kids

    Bridget Cama
    I want to live in a country where we are committed to ensuring all children thrive and have the same opportunities – let’s make a better Australia by voting yes

8 September 2023

  • voice to parliament yes sign

    If the voice is rejected, my heart will break. But First Nations progress won’t be stopped

    Aaron Fa’Aoso
    Regardless of the referendum result, Indigenous people have found a voice and the path towards treaty remains

4 September 2023

  • Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders flag

    Yes or no, when the voice vote is over, Indigenous Australians will have to come together

    Luke Pearson
    Like many of my mob, I now care less about the referendum than what comes after it

23 August 2023

  • A person holds up the indigenous flag during the annual Victorian NAIDOC march

    I’m voting yes because without change, things will remain as they are – or get worse

    Tanya Hosch
    We must seize the opportunity to complete our constitution and stand together in voting for a better future

16 August 2023

  • Indigenous flag flying over parliament

    All Indigenous people want is a say in our own affairs. A voice will help us get it

    Pat Turner
    We’re not looking for advantages over others or a veto; we just want an enduring agreement from Australians for a future where we can be heard

10 August 2023

  • Young kids hop off the school bus at Gunbalanya in West Arnhem Land

    Indigenous children would be among the greatest beneficiaries of the voice

    Catherine Liddle
    Australia has failed to close the gap for its First Nations people, especially its youngest. Now is the time to give us a voice to parliament

3 August 2023

  • Purple House dialysis service.

    First Nations healthcare is crying out for an Indigenous voice

    Georgia Corrie
    A voice to parliament can advocate for training and development in a local community, creating continuity of care and trust in the medical system

1 August 2023

  • The Barunga Voice Declaration being signed.

    The remote communities we talk to about the voice are being bombarded with conspiracy theories

    Lesley Turner
    They know we have nothing to lose and everything to gain from politicians listening to our solutions

29 July 2023

  • Thomas Mayo, First Nations Referendum Working Group and co-author of The Voice to Parliament Handbook speaks during a Voice To Parliament panel, in Sydney, Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING

    Australians I talk to are optimistic about the voice – even in the face of fear and misinformation

    Thomas Mayo
    It is true that our task is not easy, but I am confident that we can win the referendum for an Indigenous voice to parliament

20 July 2023

  • Chelsea Watego

    Why mob are staying silent on the Indigenous voice to parliament

    Chelsea Watego
    There is a very real demonisation of Blackfullas who dare answer the question of yes with a no, as though it is we who are betraying our people

19 July 2023

  • An Aboriginal flag at a Naidoc march

    Australia’s referendum debate has been dominated by outrage content farmers – not the voices we need to hear

    Dameyon Bonson
    The perspectives of those who will benefit most from the Indigenous voice to parliament are being crowded out by high-profile no side elites offering indignation but no solutions

13 July 2023

  • Supporters make mechanise in support of a yes vote during a Yes 23 community event in support of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, in Sydney, Sunday, July 2, 2023. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi) NO ARCHIVING

    Our communities are run by bureaucrats who control Indigenous lives. That’s why I’m asking you to give us our voice

    Charles Prouse
    We’ve discovered where true power lies – with the people, not politicians. We all need to be brave and try something new

26 June 2023

  • Celeste Liddle

    I remain undecided on the Indigenous voice to parliament. And I’m exhausted

    Celeste Liddle
    As an Arrernte woman, I feel stuck with a choice between systems I do not trust and the fear of giving in to rabid racists

3 May 2023

  • Fiona Jose with a child

    The Indigenous voice vote is a unifying moment for a confident nation capable of change

    Fiona Jose
    There’s a great deal of goodwill for our cause. It’s a modest ask from Indigenous Australians to have a say over the things that affect us

13 April 2023

  • Aboriginal flag with Parliament House in the background

    The sport of ‘Indigenous affairs’ has always been played at a much higher level. The voice changes everything

    Selwyn Button
    To see real improvements, Indigenous people need to be integral to the decision-making and accountability processes

30 March 2023

  • Voices on the Voice.Jenny Kawangka . Queensland. Australia

    My grandmother had to fight for her voice to be heard. But as a proud Wik woman, it should have been her right

    Jenny Kawangka
    Our women are deeply culturally committed, fearless, smart and articulate. They represent the rationale for the voice itself

22 March 2023

  • Dr Josie Douglas on Anzac Hill in Alice Springs

    The voice referendum is a turning point. A yes vote will save lives. A no vote will invalidate them

    Josie Douglas
    Win or lose, the lives of the no campaigners won’t change much. But for me and my family, the referendum result will be deeply personal

8 March 2023

  • Roy Gibson, Yalanji elder.

    The future of my grandchildren is in the hands of all Australians. Help bring our dream alive

    Roy Gibson
    We can’t let the opportunity for an Indigenous voice be lost to a contest of political egos

1 March 2023

  • A sticker of the Australian Aboriginal Flag along with the word "RESPECT" is pictured on a structure at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy

    Framing the voice debate in terms of ‘special treatment’ is race-baiting – we must call it out

    Tony McAvoy
    Those attempting to drag the conversation down such a low road wholly intend to appeal to racists and play on Australians’ unconscious biases

27 February 2023

  • IndigenousX

    When it comes to the voice, Indigenous politics cannot be reduced to ‘left’ and ‘right’

    Luke Pearson
    I am not an active supporter of either the yes or no campaigns but I will listen to all opinions and perspectives carefully
About 21 results for Voices on the voice
12
Explore more on these topics
  翻译：