Referendum on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

As part of the Australian Government’s commitment to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a referendum will be held between October and December 2023 to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. On 23 March 2023, the Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP announced the constitutional amendment and question that will be put to the Australian people at a referendum later this year. The amendment and question were developed in consultation with the First Nations Referendum Working Group. The proposed constitutional amendment was introduced into Parliament through a Constitution Alteration Bill on 30 March 2023. A Joint Select Committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum will consider the Bill. The Committee will accept public submissions on the Bill, and is due to report by 15 May 2023. Once the Bill has been passed by the Parliament, it will be submitted to voters at a referendum in accordance with section 128 of the Constitution.