On Saturday Australia will go to the polls to vote on an amendment to our constitution. The question being posed is:

“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

with the alteration being:

“Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

1. there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
2. the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
3. the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.”

The First Peoples of Australia have suffered terrible discrimination and persecution since British settlement and continue to suffer disadvantage. In 2017 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples gathered at Uluru to extend an invitation to us in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The Voice is the first part of that. To me, it feels like a modest request, and a gracious invitation to step into a process of reconciliation.

Out of forty-four referendum questions posed previously in Australia, only eight have been carried. To be successful the yes vote needs a double majority, which is a majority of all voters in Australia as well as a majority of voters in four of the six states. No referendum has won without bi-partisan support. The opposition leader, Peter Dutton has been in wrecker mode leading the no-campaign, and the coalition’s opposition probably doomed the referendum months ago. The politicisation of the debate has been pretty frustrating. The government has made some major missteps along the way in campaigning for the change. Instead of waiting until the official campaign began, they should have started countering the no-campaign months ago. The No campaign was allowed to dominate the debate for months, capturing the space and imposing their own terms on the discussion, while the Yes campaign watched. Support for the referendum crumbled. There’s also been some dodgy behaviour going on. Some of the no-campaigns were told not to identify themselves as part of the no-campaign when they rang up and had lies in their scripts.

One of the no arguments that seems to have gained traction is that the Voice will divide us along racial lines. That was the slogan they’ve gone with on their sandwich boards at the early polling centre near us. It probably would divide us if you want to take a grudging stance to the proposition, alternatively, you can recognise the unique connection to the land that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have and recognise this step as an important step in the reconciliation process.

The reason people I know have given me for voting no is that it will just result in more waste and is unlikely to make any material difference to the entrenched disadvantage of those communities. To that, I say “Is it possible that it might make a difference?” If yes, then I choose to step forward in hope. Maybe it will just end up being a symbolic gesture, but symbols have power. My stance on this is certainly guided by my understanding of the gospel. Hopeful action for reconciliation even if doomed to failure is still a meaningful sign pointing towards God’s reconciliation in the world.

I know that there are many people who want to see the disadvantage faced by Aboriginal people removed but will be voting no (including, I assume, Dutton). Currently, it looks like the referendum will fail, which makes me sad, especially for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We may be losing our best chance to make a meaningful step towards reconciliation.