At a Party Room meeting in Canberra this evening, the Federal Greens Party Room resolved to support legislation to enable a referendum for a Voice to Parliament and to campaign for a Yes vote in the Referendum, pending sighting of the final bill.
The Voice Referendum legislation could now pass the Parliament regardless of what Peter Dutton and the Liberals do.
The Voice referendum will be an important opportunity for the country to show its support for progress for First Nations people and the Greens will work for a strong result.
The decision followed negotiations with the government which led to guarantees on Sovereignty and funding to progress Treaty and Truth.
The Greens Party Room also resolved to continue the fight for Treaty and Truth Telling and First Nations Justice.
As allowed under Party Room rules Senator Thorpe had the ability to vote differently on the legislation.
As stated by Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:
“The Greens were the first party to support all elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and today we reaffirm that commitment,” Mr Bandt said.
“Following months of discussion with Labor which resulted in funding for Truth and Treaty and guarantees that First Nations Sovereignty will not be ceded, and after discussion with our party and our own Blak Greens network, the Greens will support the Voice referendum.
“We want the referendum to succeed, we want First Nations justice and we want Truth and Treaty as well as Voice.
“The referendum will be an opportunity for the country to show its support for First Nations justice. A strong First Nations body would be a further step towards true self-determination and justice.
“The Greens still strongly believe that a Treaty should come first. We have secured commitments from the government that they will proceed with Truth and Treaty as well as Voice, and we will be holding the government to account on this.
“I don’t think a ‘No’ vote will get us closer to Treaty and Truth, but I respect that others in the First Nations community may have a different view on that.
“I will join my fellow Greens MPs in campaigning for Yes.”
