In 2023, Australia voted on a referendum to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the constitution. This referendum was called by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in response to his government's commitment to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full. This was a once in a generation opportunity to hear the call from First Nations people for self-determination and justice.
Common Grace’s engagement
As the movement of Common Grace, we were led by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leaders to listen deeply to the Indigenous voices of the past and present and speak out in support for a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous Voice to Parliament, and a sustained ‘Yes’ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice.
We recognised Voice as an important step along the way to hearing and responding to the long standing calls to deeply listen to the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the need to establish treaties, and the importance of national truth-telling.
In the lead up to the 2023 referendum, Common Grace’s ‘Listen to the Heart: Christians for Voice and Justice’ campaign helped inspire Australian Christians to support and engage meaningfully in the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Common Grace, already in support of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, resourced churches and individuals to mobilise their local communities to deeply listen to the perspectives of Aboriginal Christian Leaders and explore the significant contribution a Voice would have in progressing justice and self-determination for First Nations peoples.
Common Grace dedicated 2023 to raising the importance of the Voice as a step towards justice, through face-to-face training opportunities, developing resources for Church Events and Table Talks to help spark gracious conversations, provide FAQs and further information around an increasingly divisive public conversation, amplifying reflections from a diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leaders, and calling our movement to prayer.
Our engagement in the 2023 Voice referendum was underpinned by the guidance, wisdom, encouragement of prayers of our ‘Yarning with Mob’ group, a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leaders and Elders whom the Common Grace team, especially the First Nations staff members, had built ongoing relationships and trust with.
To every church and individual who not only supported the Voice, but helped spark gracious conversations with your friends, family, colleagues, and community, thank you.
Almost 4,000 people across the Common Grace movement took part in Listen to the Heart actions, with over 280 people signed up to host Table Talks with their communities, 100 churches signed up to host community events, and 924 people signed the pledge to help take action and raise gracious conversations around voice and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice in 2023.
Although the Voice referendum was unsuccessful, we know that our efforts saw an unsurpassed support for First Nations justice and Christian Leaders in the years since Common Grace began. Your prayerfulness, courage to speak with love, and commitment to deep listening means that together we can continue to navigate the complexity of our national history and walk together in friendship to pursue justice, healing and flourishing for First Nations peoples.
Read Safina Stewart and Bianca Mannings heartfelt response to the 'No' vote on this referendum here, and a reflection from Common Grace's National Director Gershon Nimbalker here.
As part of our engagement during 2023, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Christian Leader and Artist Safina Stewart designed a beautiful series of graphics to help us explore and engage in reflecting on Voice and the invitation to come together and listen deeply.
This creative action was originally shared with churches to engage with on Aboriginal Sunday 2023, and was made available for schools, churches or faith communities to engage with throughout the year to help spark conversations within local communities about the need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices to be heard.
Sign up to engage with this creative action to engage your community in going deeper in learning about and taking action for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice.