On Saturday 14 October 2023, Australians will have their say in a referendum about whether to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
To support Advocare’s Vision of Power, respect and informed choice for older people, we’ve collected key information here to ensure older people have what’s needed to participate in the upcoming referendum.
On this page you’ll find useful and credible links to all the information you’ll need to help you make an informed decision.
If you prefer, we’ve collected a few key general facts on the referendum for you in this FAQs sheet. There are more specific sheets below, too.
Government fact sheets
- Fact sheet: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice
- Fact sheet: Referendum question and constitutional amendment
- Fact sheet: How will an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice work?
Useful website links
The Voice Referendum has sparked robust debate across the country, so there is a lot of disinformation on both sides of the argument. We recommend you only trust credible information sources such as:
The Australian Government website https://voice.gov.au/ that contains information and resources including videos, booklets and fact sheets with up to date information on the Voice and the referendum.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) that has a register listing prominent pieces of disinformation the AEC has discovered regarding the announced referendum on the Voice to Parliament. It also provides details of actions the AEC has taken in response. Visit the disinformation register here: https://www.aec.gov.au/media/disinformation-register-ref.htm
The Uluru Statement from the Heart can be found here https://ulurustatement.org/the-statement/view-the-statement/
Voting venues
Voting in the referendum is compulsory for all Australian citizens aged 18 years and over.
Where and how to vote on Saturday 14 October, including measures to support older people who can’t get to a polling station, or are living in residential aged care, will be published here as the information becomes available.