Voice to Parliament

Statement of support by Institute of Child Protection Studies

We would like to add our voice in supporting the 'yes' vote for a constitutionally recognised Voice to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Since time immemorial First Nations peoples have taken care of each other, their lands and their waters. But European colonisation eroded their place on Country, their rights and their dignity through systemic racism.

Research clearly shows that First Nations children and young people are overrepresented in statutory child protection, youth detention and out-of-home care. Children today are suffering from the impact of the dispossession of land, intergenerational trauma and lack of access to services. This needs to end.

It's time to give First Nations peoples a greater say on the laws, policies and services that affect families and children, their communities and their lives. A Voice to Parliament will give First Nations peoples a national platform where local and regional communities can advise government on matters that affect them. A Voice to Parliament will strengthen the process of healing, recovery and growth through respect and structural reform.

In our own way, through participatory research and collaboration with First Nations partners, we have seen the value of community-led solutions. Imagine the good that can happen when solutions can be designed on a national platform.

A formal Voice to Parliament will be a genuine response to the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The Uluru Statement saw a future where communities could advise government on matters relating to the social, spiritual, and economic wellbeing of First Nations peoples. If we are really listening, we should honour that vision.

We pledge to support First Nations children, young people, families, communities and organisations to shape their own future on their own terms. We will continue to strengthen our way of working with First Nations organisations to ensure genuine and meaningful partnerships on joint projects.

Let's all take this positive action to create a better future for all Australian children.

Further reading

Commonwealth of Australia, National Indigenous Australians Agency, Indigenous Voice Discussion Paper, Langton. M & Calma, T.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2019b). Young people in child protection and under youth justice supervision: 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2018. Data linkage series no. 25. Cat. no. CSI 27. Canberra: AIHW. Available online: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/ebf46682-66a3-4d5e-85ce0b3919c70dfd/aihw-CSI-27.pdf.aspx?inline=true

Grattan, M. (2023). Politics with Michelle Grattan: Professor Marcia Langton on the Voice's powers and potential, The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-professor-marcia-langton-on-the-voices-powers-and-potential-203672

Morgan, G., Butler, C., French, R., Creamer, T., Hillan, L., Ruggiero, E., Parsons, J., Prior, G., Idagi, L., Bruce, R., Gray, T., Jia, T., Hostalek, M., Gibson, J., Mitchell, B., Lea, T., Clancy, K., Barber, U., Higgins, D., ... Trew, S. (2022). New Ways for Our Families: Designing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practice framework and system responses to address the impacts of domestic and family violence on children and young people (Research report, 06/2022). ANROWS.

Morgan, G., Butler, C., French, R., Creamer, T., Hillan, L., Ruggiero, E., Parsons, J., Prior, G., Idagi, L., Bruce, R., Twist, A., Gray, T., Hostalek, M., Gibson, J., Mitchell, B., Lea, T., Miller, C., Lemson, F., Bogdanek, S., … Cahill, A. (2023). You can't pour from an empty cup: Strengthening our service and systems responses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people who experience domestic and family violence (Research report, 01/2023). ANROWS.

Uluru Statement from the Heart. (2023). https://ulurustatement.org

Yes23. (2023). https://yes23.com.au/