Media release from Reconciliation Australia: BSL joins 70+ organisations from across the Australian community joining together to support a ‘Yes’ vote for the Voice to Parliament.

In a highly unusual alliance, Australia’s not-for-profits have joined forces with the banks, sporting code peaks, IT and insurance companies, trade unions, educational institutions, and some of the country’s biggest corporations to support a Voice to Parliament and a “yes” vote in the Referendum.

The more than 70 organisations are all members of a network of 2,450 organisations with a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

The group includes the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Life Without Barriers, Independent Education Union, Public Health Association of Australia, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Goodstart Early Learning, Wesfarmers, Fremantle Football Club, National Rugby League, Fujitsu Australia Limited, Origin Energy, Federation University and Transgrid among many others.

For many of these organisations it will be their first call for a Yes vote since the public debate around the Voice to Parliament referendum began.

Reconciliation Australia CEO, Karen Mundine, said the group’s diversity underscores the broad support for the Voice to Parliament from Australians from all walks of life.

“There are few times in Australian history when such a diverse group of organisations representing some very disparate interests have come together to support a particular goal,” she said.

“Constitutional recognition and a greater say for First Nations peoples have been a central pillar of the reconciliation movement for decades."

“In 2000 our predecessor, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation called for a referendum for constitutional recognition, and stressed the critical importance of a greater First Nations voice in decisions that impact us,” said Ms Mundine.

“Twenty-three years later the reconciliation movement, including our RAP partners, are just as certain and just as passionate that these outcomes are central to Australia’s journey of reconciliation.”

Ms Mundine said she had been urging the RAP network to inform and educate themselves, and their stakeholders about the Voice and the referendum process to counter misinformation and ensure that all Australians can responsibly participate in this momentous national decision.

The RAP partner joint statement in support a Voice to Parliament and a “yes” vote in the Referendum is available on the Reconciliation Australia website.