The Referendum for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice
As a constituent body of the Law Council of Australia (LCA), the ACT Law Society acknowledges the LCA’s statement of support for the Voice to Parliament.
Separately, the ACT Law Society Council, comprising of 16 elected members of the ACT legal profession have agreed to support The Voice. The Council members believe the Voice to Parliament is consistent with the ACT Law Society’s role in advocating for good law. The Council supports this position on the basis that:
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It recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia in the Constitution
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The proposed change seeks to provide a practical and proactive mechanism that will acknowledge and give power to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in relation to advising the Australian Parliament and Government on matters that affect the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples
The full statement from the ACT Law Society Council can be viewed here. (Note, this is a council view only and not intended to represent the views of members)
The Law Council has also prepared a comprehensive guide and a series of fact sheets for the Legal Profession which is specifically targeted towards informing the Australian legal profession.
Reconciliation Action Plan
The Law Society’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee produced the Society’s first ‘Reflect’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which was launched in June 2018. The Law Society is reviewing the next steps for reconciliation initiatives for future RAPs.
