Statement of support for the Voice Referendum

by | Sep 22, 2023 | Uncategorized

The Australian people will shortly be voting in a referendum on enshrining in the Constitution of Australia an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to parliament and government. 

The PALS Board accepts the gracious invitation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart to seek a better future together. This aligns with our PALS vision of a fully inclusive community where all people achieve their potential. 

The PALS Board has resolved to express support for this constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice to Parliament. A Voice will enable First Nations people to have a say about laws and policies that impact their lives. It will create a clear pathway and direct communication so they can offer insights and practical solutions on matters relating to them.

The Voice is core business for a disability provider like ourselves. Statistics from the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability shows that First Nations people are more than twice as likely than the rest of the Australian community to have a disability.

The Board sees support for the Voice as a way to improve outcomes for people with a disability and to improve disability policies for First Nations people throughout the country and in our local community. 

We respect that some people, including some of our participants, carers and families and employees, may not support the Voice referendum. Each of us must make our own decisions independently at the ballot box, as is our democratic right.

We commit to sharing information and accessible resources to help people we support, carers and families, our staff and other members of the community to understand what a Voice to Parliament means for the future of our country and to help each person to form their own opinion.

You can learn more about the Voice to Parliament by visiting:

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