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Voice to Parliament Referendum student guide

At Deakin, we uphold our commitment and dedication to academic liberty and freedom of expression at Deakin. We recognise that staff and students will hold a variety of perspectives on the Voice, and we honour their right to share those opinions.

University Statements on the Voice

The Vice-Chancellor wrote to all staff in April 2023 with the following statement.

Deakin experts available for comment on the Voice referendum.


Deakin Library Guide

The Deakin Library has produced a guide to collate resources to support Deakin community members to engage with the viewpoints surrounding the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, learn about the Uluru Statement, and cast an informed vote in the upcoming referendum on Saturday, 14 October 2023.


Apolitical Government resources

The newly developed non-partisan community toolkit includes a large range of resources with information about the Voice and the referendum, including plain English and translated resources.

View the Voice toolkit


Support for students

Minimising harm

The Australian Human Rights Commission has put together this useful resource on minimising harm during discussions of the referendum.

Read more on minimising harm in conversations about the referendum

Social and emotional wellbeing resources

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet have launched a portal that brings together a collection of resources aimed at supporting and reducing social and emotional harms to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the period prior and post the Voice referendum.

Access social and emotional wellbeing resources

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culturally-safe crisis support can be obtained 24/7 from 13 YARN (13 92 76).

More information on the 13 YARN website

Deakin students can access free counselling, which includes a dedicated Social and Emotional Wellbeing Counsellor for First Nations students.

More information on Deakin's counselling service

BlakOut Coffee

The Office of Indigenous Strategy and Innovation are releasing a series of short videos which feature First Nations staff from across the university speaking about their views on the referendum.

Grab a coffee and take a short moment to engage with conversations that are important to us.


Deakin events, academic voices and Indigenous leaders

2023 Deakin Indigenous Oration:
My lament for my country - where is truth?

What are the risks of the Voice referendum?

How does Australia compare to similar countries regarding
First Nations recognition?

Why do we need a First Nations voice in the
Australian Constitution?

From Mabo to the Uluru Statement from the Heart:
Lessons learned and where to from here

2022 Deakin University Indigenous Oration:
'Is the nation ready for deep listening?'


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Page custodian: Student Services