Indigenous leaders to advance voice plans

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders will meet for the first time to advance plans for a referendum to enshrine an Indigenous voice to parliament.

The referendum working group and referendum engagement group will hold their first meetings in Canberra on Thursday to discuss the next steps to hold the vote.

The working group, headed by Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Senator Pat Dodson, will advise the government on how best to ensure a successful referendum.

Discussions will centre on the timing of the referendum, refining the question put to the public and information needed for making the referendum pass.

While a date for the referendum has been set, it is likely to be held in 2023.

It comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed at the Garma Festival earlier this year the proposed question for the referendum on the voice to parliament.

The draft question would be: do you support an alteration to the constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?

Meetings of the referendum engagement group will also be held on Thursday.

The engagement group includes Indigenous representatives from across the country such as land councils, local governments and community-controlled organisations.

Ms Burney said the meetings were an important step on the road to the referendum.

“The work of the referendum working group and the referendum engagement group will ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander views are front and centre in the decision making leading up to the referendum,” she said.

“They will provide us with advice about how to harness the goodwill in the Australian community on this important nation-building process.”

Senator Dodson said there was a plan on how to advance the referendum.

“The first step on that road is to listen to Indigenous Australians on how best to ensure we deliver a successful referendum,” he said.