Elected Coun­cil­lors of the Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry (ECAJ), the peak rep­res­ent­at­ive body of the Aus­trali­an Jewish community, have voted over­whelm­ingly to support a Yes vote in the upcoming ref­er­en­dum to decide whether to alter the Aus­trali­an Con­sti­tu­tion to establish an Abori­gin­al and Torres Strait Islander Voice to make rep­res­ent­a­tions to Par­lia­ment and the Executive Gov­ern­ment on matters relating to Abori­gin­al and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“The ECAJ was one of the first groups to support the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart in which Australia’s Abori­gin­al and Torres Strait Islander peoples called for con­sti­tu­tion­al recog­ni­tion of their status as Australia’s First Nations and for a con­sti­tu­tion­ally guar­an­teed First Nations Voice”, said ECAJ President, Jillian Segal.

“There is a clear moral imper­at­ive for con­sti­tu­tion­al recog­ni­tion of Australia’s First Nations”, Ms Segal said. “We recognise that there is a range of views in the Jewish community, as in the wider community, about the merits and effect­ive­ness of a Voice. People have also expressed different expect­a­tions about the scope of matters in relation to which the Voice may make rep­res­ent­a­tions, and the way it will operate and be con­sti­tuted, but these details will be decided by the par­lia­ment, and will thus be amenable to legis­lat­ive change in the future, if necessary.”

“With respect for all differing opinions, ECAJ Coun­cil­lors have nev­er­the­less voted to support the ref­er­en­dum to amend the Con­sti­tu­tion as an historic step towards justice and recon­cili­ation.”

Ms Segal noted the debate about the Voice has tran­scen­ded political and cultural divides. “Many mul­ti­cul­tur­al and faith com­munit­ies which usually align with different sides of the political spectrum have united to support a clear majority, even though not all, of Australia’s First Nations people, in backing the ref­er­en­dum”, Ms Segal said.

She also referred to “intem­per­ate and inac­cur­ate state­ments made by some of the parties sup­port­ing each of the ref­er­en­dum Yes and No cases, which have created discord and unne­ces­sary division within Aus­trali­an society”.

“We have called on all par­ti­cipants in the ref­er­en­dum campaign to conduct the debate on this historic issue in a fair, informed and dignified manner, as befits our great democracy.”