Yes 23

Phone banking

Federation is supporting the “Unions for Yes” phone banking in the lead up to the referendum. You can choose to join-in in person, at Trades Hall in Sydney, or online. Sessions are held between 5.30pm-8pm week day evenings, food is provided for the in-person events.

We are asking volunteers to register their details through Unions NSW so that you can receive login and password details for the computer system. You can use a mobile device, however it is easier if you have a tablet or laptop to assist.

Click here to register.

Volunteer at pre-polling

We are encouraging volunteers to register in one of the 13 targeted electorates (if convenient). If you are not located near a target area, you can find your local electorate here.

Do you have a couple of hours that you could spare? If so, add your name to the roster.

Simply select your electorate from the drop-down menu, select the days and times that you are available and add your contact details. Don’t forget to add your availability for referendum day in the last box.

  • Cook– Sutherland Shire and surrounds
  • Cowper– Port Macquarie and surrounds
  • Dobell– Central Coast and surrounds
  • Hughes– Alford’s Point, Bundeena up to Heathcote, Holsworthy and surrounds
  • Farrer– Albury, Griffith, Deniliquin, and Hay
  • Fowler– Chipping Norton, Lansvale, Fairfield East, Liverpool and Georges River
  • Lindsay– Penrith and surrounds
  • Lyne– Barrington Tops, Beechwood and surrounding areas
  • New England– North east of NSW adjoining border with Queensland down to Scone, Tamworth and surrounds
  • Page– Far north of NSW adjoining Queensland, Lismore, Casino, Nimbin and surrounds
  • Parkes– Broken Hill, Dubbo, Walgett, Moree Plains, Narrabri and surrounds
  • Riverina– From Parkes to Gundagai, Tarcutta, and surrounds
  • Werriwa– Badgerys Creek, Macquarie Fields, Green Valley, Horningsea Park, Prestons.

Once you have registered your volunteer details, please email [email protected] and provide the name of the electorate you have volunteered in and your preferred size for a yellow “Teachers for Yes” campaign t-shirt. Once your email is received, we will organise to get one out to you.

Workplaces across the nation will be engaging in weeks of action to raise the profile of the Yes campaign and encourage conversations in workplaces.

We encourage all schools and workplaces to organise their own event leading up to referendum day.

Suggested actions:

  • Come together for a morning or afternoon tea.
  • Volunteer to leaflet at a community event, phone bank, or door knock. Volunteer via Yes23.
  • volunteer to hand out flyers at pre-poll or on Referendum Day. You can elect to volunteer at a pre-poll or polling place in your area, or at a nearby electorate. We are asking our members and staff to sign up with us so that we can direct people to areas of most need as decided in collaboration with Yes23 and UnionsNSW. All members volunteering with us at pre-poll and polling day will receive a “Teachers for Yes” t-shirt.

We are also encouraging people to:

Teacher resources

Other resources

The Uluru Statement from the Heart is an invitation to the Australian people from First Nations Australians. It asks Australians to walk together to build a better future by establishing a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution, and the establishment of a Makarrata Commission for the purpose of treaty-making and truth-telling.

There are three core components- Voice, Treaty and Truth:

Voice to Parliament– Enshrining an Indigenous Voice in the Australian Constitution will give a permanent line of communication for Indigenous Peoples to the Australian Government to have a say on issues that affect them, their families and communities.

Treaty– A long-standing demand of Indigenous Peoples. A ‘Makarrata Commission’ would guide agreement-making between Indigenous Peoples and governments.

Truth-Telling– The ‘Makarrata Commission’ would also make sure that the true history of colonisation is finally told.

Resources

Together, we can build a more united and stronger country by recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australia’s Constitution.

Do you believe that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders should be recognised in the 122-year-old Constitution? 

Do you believe that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be listened to on issues that affect them and their families?

Will you write yes?

The upcoming Voice referendum
This vote will give all Australians the chance to come together and consider a change to our Constitution that will honour and celebrate the rights, history, and ongoing relationship of Indigenous Australians with this land. It’s a rare chance to make a major positive impact now and for future generations.

Australia has been considering Constitutional Recognition for more than 15 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People have asked that the form of recognition come through a Voice to Parliament, which will give advice on laws and policies that affect them and their families and communities.

The Question
Come referendum day Australians will be asked to vote on the following:

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 of this proposed alteration?

To approve this change, Australian voters will write the answer ‘Yes’ to the question when voting in the referendum.

The Constitutional Change
The Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 bill past both houses of Parliament on 19 June 2023. The proposed changes to the Constitution:

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:

                      (i)  there shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

                     (ii)  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;

                    (iii)  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.

Members can click here to tell us why you will be writing Yes in the upcoming referendum.

At Annual Conference in 2018, Federation committed to supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart in its entirety. We accepted the invitation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to walk together in a movement of the Australian people for a better future towards Voice, Treaty and Truth.

Federation has committed to supporting a yes vote in the upcoming referendum to acknowledge Indigenous Australians in the Constitution, and to establish a Voice to Parliament. The result of these actions will be better informed politicians and therefore better policies that will improve the quality of life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

We invite you to join us in supporting the YES campaign.

Federation Acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora nation, the Traditional Custodians of the Land on which this website was produced. The union pays respect to Elders, past and present and future and extends that respect to all Aboriginal people.
© 2022 New South Wales Teachers Federation. All Rights Reserved. Authorised by Maxine Sharkey, General Secretary, NSW Teachers Federation, 23-33 Mary St. Surry Hills NSW 2010.