Desis for Yes

Indian and South Asian Australians have come together under the banner of Desis for Yes, a collective aimed at deepening understanding of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. This initiative seeks to ensure that diaspora communities can make informed decisions when they cast their votes later this year.

Over 150 multicultural community organisations, including several South Asian community groups, have pledged their support for a Yes vote in the Voice referendum.

Dr Shireen Morris, a constitutional lawyer and director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab, commented on the growing goodwill among the South Asian population, stating, “Support will only grow as awareness and understanding of the need for Indigenous constitutional recognition increases. It is fantastic to see so many South Asian Australians stepping up to be part of the campaign.”

Nishadh Rego, Co-Convenor of Desis for Yes and Co-Chair of the Sydney Alliance, emphasised the significance of this upcoming referendum as Australia’s first in the twentyfirst century. Rego highlighted the unique opportunity it presents for South Asian Australians to stand alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in seeking constitutional recognition and having a say on issues that affect them.

He stated, “So many of us in the diaspora

A new initiative is taking information out to the South Asian community in Australia to build support for the Yes campaign

Since 1994, this publication has empowered the South Asian community in Australia by informing and mobilising public opinion. It is an inescapable truth that even we, as migrants, have inadvertently benefitted from the dispossession of Indigenous communities. Accordingly, as a publication that is also proudly Australian, we believe it is at the core of the values of this masthead, and our fundamental duty, to inform and mobilise support in solidarity with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, and work to set right those enduring historical wrongs.

We hope you, our readers and listeners, will join us on this journey to walk hand-in-hand in solidarity with Indigenous Australians and write a bright new chapter for Australia by voting Yes.

Indian Link Media Group

hand with Indigenous Australians towards a brighter future.

The ‘Yes’ campaign asserts that the Voice to Parliament would enable self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by providing opportunities to influence policy and legal decisions that directly impact them.

Despite being the original custodians of the country, First Nations communities are often marginalised and denied their fair share of resources. Despite their resilience in the face of colonisation, they have long been excluded from decision-making processes concerning their lives and lands. The call for a Voice to Parliament arises from the desire to ensure their voices are heard on matters that affect them.

An Ipsos poll reveals that over 80% of Indigenous Australians support constitutional recognition through a Voice to Parliament, and a majority of non-Indigenous Australians also endorse this proposal. The First Nations people seek practical and simple recognition through a Voice to Parliament, enabling them to have a say in shaping policies and decisions that impact their communities.

are interested in the referendum and inevitably have questions about what it means and what its consequences will be.”

Rego further explained that Desis for Yes aims to enhance awareness and understanding of the referendum within their communities while fostering a connection to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which outlines a pathway towards a fairer and more inclusive future for Indigenous Australians.

Khushaal Vyas, another Co-Convenor of Desis for Yes and a young lawyer expressed the passion of South Asian communities for improving the lives of First Nations communities. He acknowledged that many in the diaspora have not had the opportunity to learn about the history that has led to the barriers faced by Indigenous Australians today. Vyas stated, “It’s a history South Asians can empathise with, given the impacts of colonialism that are also still felt today in the subcontinent.” Desis for Yes plans to collaborate with other campaign bodies to bridge this knowledge gap and work hand-in-

As the referendum approaches, Desis for Yes aims to mobilise South Asian and multicultural Australians to join them in supporting the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum, advocating for a major step forward in Australia’s journey towards inclusivity and justice for all its citizens.

Connect with Desis for Yes on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or log on to www. multiculturalforvoice.org to learn more about multicultural Australia’s endorsement of the Voice.

Later this year, Australians will go to the polls for one of the rarest of Australian political events: a constitutional referendum. An election night pledge by Anthony Albanese, the referendum will ask Australians whether the Constitution should be amended to establish an Australian Indigenous Voice. Referendums can be confusing at the best of times, and as the “Yes” and “No” campaigns ramp up over the coming months, we explain what it all means:

Hold on – what’s a referendum?

A referendum is a public vote that is legally required to make a change to the Australian Constitution.

A referendum requires a “double majority” in order to be successful, meaning the change must be passed by not only a majority of voters across all states and territories – but a majority of voters in a majority of states, i.e. at least 4 out ofthe 6 Australian states must approve the amendment.

Okay, so what’s the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum about?

The Australian Indigenous Voice referendum will ask voters the following question (with the wording of the question still subject to Parliament approval):

“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?”

It’s a request taken directly from the Uluru Statement of the Heart, a 2017 petition by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders which calls for, amongst other acknowledgements and constitutional reforms, “the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution”.

If the referendum is passed, the Constitution will be amended to create an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander “Voice”, a new advisory body tasked with representing Indigenous Australians to the Australian Parliament on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

What powers will the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice have?

The Voice will provide independent advice to the federal government on decisions, policies and laws that affect the lives of First Nations people across Australia, including matters relating to their social, spiritual and economic wellbeing. Examples include native title, housing, community development, NDIS, and heritage protection.

It will not have the power to overrule parliament, deliver services or manage government funding. It’s also worth bearing in mind that there’s no potential for “scope creep” here – any further powers would require a further amendment to the constitution, meaning another referendum.

If the referendum is passed, how will the Voice be selectedand structured?

The details of how the Voice will be