Australians have enrolled in record numbers for the Voice referendum. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
How will you vote in the Voice referendum on 14 October?
It’s just over two weeks until the Voice referendum and the outcome is still very uncertain. Polls are pointing to a win for the No case – but polls have been wrong before, while the Yes campaign faces accusations it’s failed to connect with ordinary Australians.
There’s also a substantial number of people – as high as 29 per cent by some counts – who are undecided. The Australian Electoral Commission says enrolment rates are sky-high and would be the envy of many a democracy, currently sitting at a record 97.7 per cent.
This week, Region will hold a Voice debate with representatives from both sides. We’ve avoided current politicians and tried to assemble people who bring expertise and diverse viewpoints to the table.
We’re aiming for a robust, informative and thoughtful conversation, not a shouting match, on the basis this is the kind of discussion you should be able to have at the kitchen table or over a beer with mates.
Speaking for the Yes case, former chief minister and leader of the national Liberals for Yes campaign, Kate Carnell, will be joined by Ngunnawal traditional owner and activist Aunty Violet Sheridan.
Local No campaign leader and Belco Party founder Bill Stefaniak will be joined by software engineer and campaigner Ramon Bouckaert. It will be a tight half hour or so, facilitated and filmed by Region, and we want to hear from you.
What would you like explained, discussed or clarified by either side of the debate? What concerns you about a Yes or No vote, the implications for the country, and the reasons why people are choosing to vote one way or the other?
Put your questions in the comments field. While we won’t get to every one individually, they’ll help to guide our thinking and ensure we can represent a diversity of views.
Unlike an election, a referendum is a single question for the Australian people – a Yes or No vote.
The difference is in how the votes are counted: for a referendum to succeed, it must have a majority of votes in a majority of states.
Irritatingly for Canberra and Northern Territory voters, our jurisdiction won’t be counted in the tally of states, although our votes will count in the national poll.
There’s every indication that the ACT will be a strong Yes vote – much like the same-sex marriage plebiscite – but No campaigners also have an argument to make about our constitution and the function of Parliament.
So how will you make up your mind? Tell us what you need to know and we’ll do our best to inform you with local, independent and well-respected voices.
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