The Australian National University has a unique role in providing information on issues of national significance.

The essence of democratic government is that all national issues must ultimately, be decided by the people themselves. To me it is more than ever important at this stage in Australia's development that, our people should have ' available everything they need to permit their decisions to be made wisely and after a full understanding of the issues involved.

Mr. DEDMAN Minister for Post-war Reconstruction and Minister in charge of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Second Reading Speech on the Australian National University Bill 1946.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY BILL 1946 - Hansard

The Australian Government’s proposed that in 2023 Australians will vote on a referendum, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, also known as the Indigenous Voice to Parliament or the Voice, is an issue of great national significance. The referendum will be held on the issue of establishing “an enduring institution to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can make representations to the Commonwealth Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters that relate to them, improving the development and implementation of laws and policies”.

This guide has been prepared to provide information to the ANU community and the wider community including research from the University, information on the referendum and democratic processes relating to the Australian constitution, the views of national organisations and resources that will assist in understanding the debate around the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.  Selected resources will be preserved in the University’s Open Research repository to ensure long term access to information relevant to the debate.

It brings material together to assist in education and research at the University.

This guide will be continuously updated throughout 2023.

The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history. The ANU Library in particular recognises that the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have not been heard in the past and is committed to making those voices visible though all our works.

Roxanne Missingham, University Librarian

Uluru Statement from the Heart