Ahead of the 2023 referendum on proposed changes to Australia’s Constitution, the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) support the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

Establishing a Voice through an amendment to the Constitution is consistent with the Institute’s Position Statement on Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge and Engagement, which recognises the invitation embodied in the Uluru Statement from the Heart to support fair and practical reforms that will enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to fully participate in Australian society. The proposal also aligns with the Institute’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan.

The EIANZ seeks to foster and support an environment profession that is inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ diversity, culture, knowledge, history, and protocols in environmental practice, including through our Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

EIANZ members and Certified Environmental Practitioners are encouraged to engage in respectful and informed discussions in the leadup to the Referendum. Members and practitioners can access trusted information on the proposed Voice and the Referendum via Australian Government websites – voice.gov.au and aec.gov.au.

We would like to acknowledge this artwork was created by Liz Clarke, a Gunggari woman, whose Country is in the Maranoa region in southwest Queensland. Liz is an EIANZ member and Certified Environmental Practitioner. She created this work of art for the cover of the EIANZ’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The artwork is titled ‘Amu yulu, amu mugaru’ meaning ‘Water today, water tomorrow’ in Gunggari language.