Why Australia is putting a First Nations Voice to Parliament to a referendum

Australia goes to the polls on October 14 in a referendum on whether to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body, known as the Voice to Parliament, into the country's constitution. 

In this episode, a political theorist from the Torres Strait Islands, an archipelago between Australia and Papua New Guinea, explains the background to the Voice and the arguments for and against it. Plus, we hear a view from Canada on how the Voice proposal compares with Indigenous systems of representation elsewhere in the world. 

Featuring Sana Nakata, principal research fellow at James Cook University in Australia. And Kiera Ladner, professor of Indigenous politics and Canadian politics at the University of Manitoba in Canada. Hosted by Gemma Ware with Carissa Lee, First Nations and public policy editor at The Conversation in Melbourne.

This episode of The Conversation Weekly was produced and written by Gemma Ware and Mend Mariwany. The executive producer was Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. Full credits for this episode are available here. A transcript is available here. Sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.

Further reading and listening: 

• A divided Australia will soon vote on the most significant referendum on Indigenous rights in 50 years
• The Voice to Parliament explained 
• The Voice: how do other countries represent Indigenous voices in government? 
• Crowdsourcing new constitutions: How 2 Latin American countries increased participation and empowered groups excluded from politics – podcast