What would the Indigenous Voice to Parliament actually do?

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the official wording of the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum.

Video transcript

- What would the Indigenous voice to parliament actually do? Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, he has announced the official wording of the upcoming voice to parliament referendum. It reads, "A proposed law to alter the Constitution to recognize the first peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?"

Australians are basically being asked whether an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parliamentary body should be enshrined into the Constitution. If Australians vote yes, the representative body selected by First Nations people will provide independent advice on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Indigenous affairs. It's essentially a formal and permanent way for First Nation peoples to make community led recommendations to the Australian parliament while working alongside the government and its traditional structures.

The voice of parliament will not possess any veto power. And while it can offer direct advice, only the existing parliament can decide on legal changes. So now you know.