First Nations youth are wary of an institution not designed by or for us – a voice to parliament can change that

The world of politics can be a scary place. Some of us – young, female, or First Nations – are wary of the power of an institution that was not designed by us, or for us.

But the 2022 federal election felt different. Anthony Albanese’s victory speech on the night of the election recognised the work of First Nations people immediately, saying: “I commit to the Uluru statement from the heart in full.”

As a proud Wiradjuri woman, I watched on in tears. While I may be youthfully naive when it comes to election promises, the shift in respect for our First Nations people was powerful and undeniable.

I know this sentiment was shared among my brothers and sisters within the Uluru Youth Dialogue; and among the Senior Uluru Dialogue – those who guide us and hold the mandate and authority of the Uluru statement.

In the weeks since the election, the collective sigh of relief has continued. To see the Uluru statement respected, applauded and elevated has kept me on the brink of tears.

This is a sign of what’s to come. The public acceptance of the Uluru statement will embed a sense of belonging among First Nations people as we move towards a referendum.

In the coming months, we will continue to spread awareness of the Uluru statement and the need for a constitutionally enshrined voice to parliament.

In the week before the election, the Uluru Dialogue launched a campaign advocating for this, called History Is Calling. As this step must be reached through a referendum, the audience of this campaign is crucial. It’s the majority of people in the majority of states that we will need to approve the creation of a voice in the Australian constitution.

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The parliament has the power to make laws specifically about any race in Australia. But Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the only group which the parliament has legislated in this way.

What opportunity do First Nations people have to influence the drafting of laws that affect us? To have our voices heard? Very little.

There is no independence. No mechanism for the voices of regional and remote communities to be heard at the highest levels of government. A constitutionally enshrined First Nations voice to parliament seeks to change that.

As a nation, we have an opportunity to make history.

I was grateful to attend the 2019 Uluru statement youth summit in Cairns with more than 70 First Nations people from across Australia. We learned about the Uluru statement and discussed what it could do for our communities.

Over recent years, we’ve campaigned at schools, football matches, on invasion day and during NAIDOC Week, at our workplaces and on social media. Despite the challenges of a pandemic, the Uluru Statement Youth Network has remained focused and unwavering in its determination.

First Nations youth gravitate towards this work because we have an intrinsic desire to give back to our communities, to care for our elders and to look out for the next generation. We are in this because we understand that a properly funded voice to parliament, protected through a referendum and enshrined in the constitution, will have real impact on First Nations people’s lives.

We must use the current momentum and hold a referendum in 2023. Constitutional experts have a question at the ready. The time is now.

More hard work is yet to come. These coming months will test the resilience of our First Nations people, and it will test the compassion and strength of the Australian public to walk with us in this movement.