The government website https://voice.gov.au/ has updated their official translation of “First Peoples” in the referendum question from “第一民族” to “原住民族” after the Chinese community raised concerns about the original translation, ABC reported on 3 August 2023. The original translation, “第一民族”, does not precisely convey the essence of the term “First Peoples” and may potentially lead to confusion and misinformation. CCCAV has played a leading role in advocating for the revision of the Chinese translation of the referendum question, aiming to make it aligned more accurately with its English meaning.
公投问题:
在公投投票日，选民将被要求对一个问题投“赞成”或“反对”票。在议会批准的前提下，问题将是：
“这项拟议法律：修改宪法，通过建立原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民之声承认澳大利亚的原住民族。
您是否赞成这一拟议修改？”
宪法修正案:
如果在全民公投中获得批准，以下文字将写入宪法。
第九章 承认原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民 129 原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民之声
为承认原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民是澳大利亚的原住民族： i. 应设立一个名为“原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民之声”的机构； ii. “原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民之声“可以就与原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民有关的问题向议会和联邦行政政府提出意见； iii. 在符合本宪法的前提下，议会有权就与原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民之声有关的事项制定法律，包括其组成、职能、权力和程序。
The care and support sector is the fastest-growing sector in Australia right now. With the growth of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Australia’s ageing population, there are plenty of opportunities for people looking for rewarding work that fits in with their lives.
Let’s come together at the Multicultural Community Forum on 22 July 2023, to learn about and support the First Nations Voice to Parliament. You are cordially invited to attend this event. 诚邀参加澳华和多元文化社区论坛，了解和支持原住民之声。
Supported by the Australian Government’s National Foundation for Australia-China Relations (NFACR) and named after the first Australian barrister of Chinese and Asian heritage and co-founder of the Sino-Australian Association the late William Ah Ket (1876-1936), this ‘exec ed’ program aims to educate, upskill and equip talented emerging Chinese-Australian leaders with the skills, knowledge and expertise to become more effective leaders in their field, and if relevant, play an active role in advancing Australia’s engagement and bilateral relationship with China.
The program will include a comprehensive academic and practical approach to focus on effective training and upskilling for emerging Chinese-Australian leaders on the following topics and more: risks and opportunities of Australia-China relations; power, influence and communication as Chinese-Australian leaders; succeeding in the Australia-China landscape; and personal profile building and finding your authentic voice.
The program is open and eligible to applicants between the ages of 30 to 45 who self-identify as Chinese-Australian and/or an Australian of Chinese heritage. The four-day program will be taking place from 20 to 24 August 2023 at ANU’s campus in Canberra. Successful participants will be attending free of charge with accommodation and travel covered – all thanks to the incredible generosity of NFACR.
Applications are due on Sunday 25 June 2023 at 5pm AEST. If this is a program for you or if you know of someone across your networks who is eligible and suitable, please submit an application of interest as soon as possible. Further details about the program and application process can be accessed via the following link – https://www.anu.edu.au/events/william-ah-ket-leadership-program
MOJO News recently covered the informative Voice session organized by the Chinese Community Council of Australia, Victoria Chapter (CCCAV) on 16th March 2023.
The event featured Dr Shireen Morris, Director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab, a Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University Law School and a Constitutional lawyer, who has worked on Indigenous constitutional recognition for more than a decade, and Thomas Mayo, a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man, member of the First Nations Referendum Working Group, who is an passionate advocate for the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
The seminar was aiming to engage the Chinese community in understanding the significance of the Voice referendum in the healing and reconciliation process of our country.
* MOJO News is an independent media organisation run by Monash University’s journalism and media communication students. https://www.mojonews.com.au/about-us
In 2017, 250 delegates from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the country gathered and wrote the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which called for a Voice for First Nations people to be added to the Constitution.
Then in 2022, the Australian Government agreed to have a referendum to let Australians decide whether to establish the Voice in the Constitution.
The Voice referendum will be held later this year (2023). Be ready for the conversation, get informed at: https://voice.gov.au/.
