June State Council: SSTUWA for Yes - Maurice Palmer and Donna Bridge

The Voice to Parliament referendum result was not the outcome we were wanting, but as a union we will continue to walk alongside our First Nations members
and communities.

I want to thank you all for your work, commitment and solidarity in this campaign, and also for your support towards our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators, friends, students and broader community.

We are proud that we have supported the Yes campaign for the Voice to Parliament, as being behind the yes campaign aligned with the values of the union movement.

Unionism stands for a fair go, equity and equality, a fair and just society and doing what is right by everyone for everyone.

It is union business to lobby for collective action to ensure this fair and just society, walking in solidarity and providing support to those living in inequity.

Over the years unions have fought for equality, Medicare, superannuation and better pay.

The Voice referendum was an opportunity for union members to recognise the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our nation, a history which spans 65,000 years.

June 2023 State Council committed to supporting our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education colleagues, members, friends and students to supporting a Voice to Parliament.

This followed a request by the SSTUWA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Committee. It read: “We ask our members within the SSTUWA to walk with us and as educators, we are informed and accept the invitation that is at the heart of the Uluru Statement that specifically calls for a voice enshrined in the Australian Constitution. This request has come after decades of activism by our people who have fought for a fair go and say in our own communities and in our own affairs.”

All workers and all people deserve to be consulted about changes in the workplace and in society that affect us - and that by speaking up collectively we can make change that benefits us all, particularly in our education communities.

Now the nation has had its say and we respect the decision that has been made in regard to the Voice.

In the aftermath there will be a lot of commentary made about the significance of the result and what it means for our Indigenous communities.

We cannot let the fight for equity end with the last ballot being cast in the referendum.

It is now absolutely more crucial than ever to ensure equity in public education for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues and students.

By the time you read this column the SSTUWA’s Review into Public Education would have been officially released.

The review canvassed all stakeholders across WA about the state of public education in our state.

It has made many recommendations targeted at ensuring our public education system is well-resourced, equitable and up to the standards our members and their students deserve.

We are keen to make sure that in addressing the shortcomings of our system we also ensure that there are no groups that miss out.

That is why we are calling on the government and other decision-makers to read and consider the recommendations carefully and act upon them swiftly.

The Voice to Parliament referendum might be over but the efforts to ensure that nobody gets left behind are only beginning and won’t stop until that day when true equity is achieved.