Varuna’s support of The Voice

The Voice

Over four days in May 2017, representatives of First Nations peoples coming from all points of the southern sky gathered at Uluru for the First Nations National Constitutional Convention. The convention was the culmination of a robust conversation on constitutional reform across First Nations communities. Delegates were selected from participants in Regional Dialogues held on country. 

In the Uluru Statement from the Heart delegates called for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country, foreseeing a time when First Nations children will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country. 

We at Varuna, the National Writers House, on the lands of the Darug and Gundungurra peoples, thank the First Nations leaders, delegates and communities for their generosity, grace and good faith in inviting us to walk with them in a ‘movement of the Australian people for a better future’. 

We humbly accept this invitation.

We support the YES vote at the forthcoming referendum as the moment when together we might take this next step toward Makaratta: the coming together after a struggle.

David Hammon, Chair

On behalf of the Varuna Board and Management and Staff

Varuna acknowledges that in a country as diverse as ours that there will be differing views on the forthcoming referendum as in all national conversations. We respect those in the broader Varuna family and the community who may not share our commitment to a YES vote. While it may seem like stating the obvious, we thought there would be no harm in reassuring all that Varuna welcomes them as warmly as ever.