Australians will cast their vote at a landmark referendum to decide whether to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in the Constitution on Saturday, 14 October, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially confirmed this morning at a community rally in Adelaide.

Launching the six-week campaign, the PM labelled the referendum a “once-in-a-generation chance” for Australians to bring the country together and “change it for the better”,

“The idea for a Voice came from the people – and it will be decided by the people,” Mr Albanese declared.

“To vote for recognition, listening and better results. And I ask all Australians to vote Yes.”

As the referendum looms, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), along with the broader trade union movement, will ramp up its unequivocal support for a ‘Yes’ vote and a Voice to Parliament.

“As frontline health professions working across Australia, we believe Constitutional recognition and a Voice to Parliament will be important mechanisms to address racism and, in turn, help close the gap in health outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians,” ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler said earlier this year.

“Voting ‘Yes’ will ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are rightfully acknowledged as Australia’s first people in our Constitution and through a Voice to Parliament, they can have a meaningful say on issues like health, which affect communities the most.”

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Authorised by A.Butler, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, Melbourne.