Australia is closing in on the referendum that could change the constitution and establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. The referendum is going to be held on Saturday October 14th, where Australians will be given the opportunity to vote on enshrining recognition of First Nations people in our constitution. 

But while the idea of a First Nations body speaking directly to government might be a first for Australia, it’s far from a first for the world. 

There are a number of other countries who have representative bodies and mechanisms built into their governments, some for a really long time, including in Aotearoa New Zealand. So, how do those systems work? And what lessons can we learn from them? 

Today, we’re going to take a deep dive into how some countries have built First Nations recognition into their parliaments – and how effective they’ve been.

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CREDITS 

Host: Elfy Scott

With thanks to: Professor Dominic O'Sullivan 

Producer: Elfy Scott

Executive Producer: Kally Borg

Audio Producer: Thom Lion

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