a rae WSS Aceet RACHEL SIEWERT Australian Greens Whip Senator for Western Australia PO Box 6022 House of Representatives Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 13 November 2017 Dear Mr Turnbull I write regarding your decision not to support the Referendum Council's key recommendation for a 'Voice’ to Parliament. ‘The Australian Greens are deeply disappointed that the Government has rejected this landmark work out of hand. It is obvious from answers to questions in estimates that the Government did not seek to ascertain the level of support from the community for the concept of a 'Voice' to Parliament and in our opinion have misread the community response. Since your announcement it has in fact become evident there is likely to be a level of support for the concept with polling showing strong support for an Aboriginal ‘Voice’ to Parliament. We believe that with the right collaboration between the Parliament, Australia’s First Peoples and the community this proposal would get popular support. As you know, the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Referendum Council's recommendations were the result of a huge amount of work, commitment and consensus building. The vast majority of Australians want to see progress and a positive way forward for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Although it may be a challenging process, it is up to us, as representatives in the Parliament to do this work and commit to building support for a ‘Voice’ to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is not radical to recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should have a formalised role to consider legislation and policy that affects them. The Uluru Statement from the Heart was unanimous - a strong, clear voice - and it should not be ignored. Ignoring the work and achievements of the Referendum Council will be an enormous lost opportunity for this country. To pre-empt failure of something that our First Peoples have been working so hard for, for so many years is a devastating blow. The Referendum Council undertook extensive consultation and the result was clear and that was reflected in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Council's report. Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600 | Phone: 02 6277 3587The Referendum Council's recommendation was unanimously supported by the First Nations’ delegates that met at Uluru. We need action on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition, in the form that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples support and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were loud and clear in their view. The Australian Greens urge you to reconsider your position and to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Parliamentarians and the community to achieve constitutional reform to establish a "Voice' for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Yours sipcerely C . 4, AZ I, Senator Rachel Siewert Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues bed! OX) Senator Richard Di Natale Leader of the Australian Greens