AFCA throws support behind Voice to Parliament

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) said on Friday that it supports Australia’s First Nations people in their call for a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice.

“AFCA proudly supports the recognition of First Nations people in the Australian Constitution through the Voice to Parliament,” AFCA chief executive and chief ombudsman David Locke said.

“We make this commitment and encourage our people and our community to do the same, based on the principles of Voice, Treaty and Truth.”

On 30 March, the constitutional amendment and referendum question were introduced into Parliament through the Constitution Alteration Bill, with the bill passing through the lower house on Wednesday, 31 May.

The referendum question is: “A Proposed Law: To alter the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”

According to Reconciliation Australia: “A Voice to Parliament will give Indigenous communities a route to help inform policy and legal decisions that impact their lives. Giving people a say will lead to more effective results.

“Embedding a Voice in the constitution would recognise the special place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s history, but importantly would also mean that it can’t be shut down by successive governments.”

A First Nations Voice to Parliament protected by the constitution is a key element of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Mr Locke added: “The Uluru Statement is a generous gift, an invitation for all Australians to walk alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples towards a better future. It calls for recognition of the sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the opportunity for their voices to be heard.”

“As a national ombudsman scheme that provides services across the country, AFCA wants to be an organisation that delivers its service to First Nations peoples in a culturally informed, respectful and accessible way.”

“We believe that all people need financial and economic inclusion and have seen through our work the impact on First Nations People and communities when their voices are not heard.”

When asked for comment, the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) advised that its members have a range of views as individuals and don’t have an expectation that the FAAA speak for them on matters outside the financial services sphere.