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I can’t think of a better representation of reconciliation than the majority of Australians in the majority of states overwhelmingly saying ‘The [Voice to Parliament] is what First Nations peoples are asking for, and this is something we can get behind.’ – Karen Mundine, CEO at Reconciliation Australia, speaking at RI Australia 2023.

 

On 10 May at RI Australia 2023, RIAA’s CEO, Simon O’Connor, announced RIAA’s support for a First Nations Voice to Parliament (referred to as ‘the Voice’) protected by the Constitution. Our support aligns with RIAA’s Reconciliation Action Plan and our First Nations Peoples’ Rights Working Group, which has been active since 2020.

 

RIAA supports the Uluru Statement of the Heart, and we welcome and are supportive of moves for a First Nations Voice to Parliament protected by the Constitution.

 

A Voice to Parliament will give Indigenous communities a route to help inform policy and legal decisions that impact their lives.  This will generate more impactful outcomes and ultimately contribute to a future that is sustainable, resilient, and prosperous for all Australians.

 

Investors understand the importance of amplifying First Nations voices, and RIAA works to this end through the work we do with our First Nations partners to elevate their voice within the responsible investment sector and across the finance industry more broadly.

 

A Voice enshrined in the constitution is consistent with the notion that First Nations Peoples should have a say in matters that affect them, and that they are the ones to create the kind of change that is needed.

 

RIAA takes guidance from our many First Nations partners and advisers who have helped us understand the unique value and importance of a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution.

 

We see that building a better future for First Nations Australians is of critical importance for our whole nation, and indeed the future prosperity of all our people and our economy, and hence makes strong sense from a responsible investment and sustainable finance perspective.

 

We strongly encourage others within our membership and beyond to engage in informed and respectful conversation and to take a firm stance that upholds the rights and advancement of First Nations Peoples. By doing so, we can collectively contribute to the significant reconciliation journey for Australia.

 

At RI Australia 2023, RIAA was pleased to shed light on some of the issues related to a Voice to Parliament through an insightful panel discussion with First Nations luminaries, Professor Peter Yu, AM, member of the government Referendum Working Group on the Voice, Karen Mundine, CEO at Reconciliation Australia, and Phil Usher, CEO at First Nations Foundation (see blog post, Reconciliation, Self-Determination and the Voice to Parliament: RI Australia 2023).

 

You can access further information at The Voice , as well as resources on how to engage with the Voice as an individual or as an organisation via Yes23, Reconciliation Australia, and other local First Nations groups. To engage with RIAA’s First Nations Peoples’ Rights Working Group, please contact  Antonia Bowlen.