On Wednesday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the referendum for the Voice will be held on October 14. 

“The idea for a Voice came from the people and it will be decided by the people,” the Prime Minister said.

“A proposal that thousands of elders, leaders and communities all over our county have worked on for well over a decade, a change that is supported by more than 80 per cent of indigenous Australians.”

Surrounded by ‘Yes’ posters and supporters the Prime Minster said the referendum (the first this century) is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring the country together by asking people to vote, not for a political party or person, but for an idea that came directly from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

In his address, the Prime Minister said that despite good intentions, no Australian government has been able to get things right before.

“(The Voice is) a practical way of dealing with issues through a committee of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to give advice to the government to get better results for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” the Prime Minister said.

“Constitutional recognition through a Voice (is) a way for all of us to recognise indigenous Australians and their history in our constitution, a form of recognition that will make a positive contribution to their lives and future.”