Disability Sector National Day of Solidarity for the Voice

Be informed to vote – 14 October 2023.

Around the nation, people with disability, their families and organisations that support them will be undertaking activities to highlight the importance of voting ‘Yes’ at the upcoming referendum.

Many of us in the disability community are from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds. In fact, 45% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live with disability or long-term health conditions. That is why the sector is working together to inform its community about the referendum.

How can you get involved?

With more than 4.4 million people with disability in Australia, our community can have a huge impact on the outcome of this important ballot.

• Become a Day of Action partner and share your logo with by emailing it to info@australiandisabilitydialogue.com.au

• Distribute the materials to your community and take photos to share with your networks.

• Hold an event(s) where people get together – this could be at a centre or a workplace.

What already exists?

Organisations across Australia have been doing some incredible work to ensure equal access to voting for all Australians, regardless of culture, disability, or reading level.

First Peoples Disability Network

First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) shared an impactful AUSLAN television commercial for The Voice to Parliament as part of their #HaveYourSay campaign.

"It was vitally important as a peak body for First Peoples with disabilities that we create and share accessible resources on The Voice to Parliament for not only our communities but all Australians with disabilities." Damian Griffis, FPDN CEO.

The Uluru Statement

The Uluru Statement invites you to join a movement of the Australian people and walk with them for a better future. They call on all Australians to support a First Nations Voice to Parliament by voting Yes in the upcoming referendum, so Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can finally have a say on policies and laws that affect their communities.

Silence never made History.

Vote Yes to support a Voice to Parliament, so that First Nations peoples can have a say on matters that affect them.

You can access an Easy Read guide of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, prepared by the Council for Intellectual Disability and the First Peoples Disability Network Australia here.

You can find an Auslan translation of the statement, prepared in collaboration with SBS here.

The Uluru Statement have also created an educational FAQ section.

Council for Intellectual Disability

The Council for Intellectual Disability have created 'The Voice to Parliament Easy Read fact sheet'. In this Easy Read fact sheet you can find out about

• What is the Voice to Parliament?

• Why is the Voice to Parliament important?

• How will the Voice to Parliament vote happen?

Recognition through a Voice

The official Australian Government website for the Voice has a wealth of information on the referendum including toolkits, resources, booklets, factsheets and newsletters.

Your official yes | no referendum pamphlet.

The AEC have produced versions of the official referendum booklet (which includes Your official Yes/No referendum pamphlet and Your official guide to the 2023 referendum) in a range of languages and accessible formats.

Information for people with disability or mobility restrictions can be found here including:

• Easy read guides on the Referendum and Election

• Information on Polling place accessibility

• Postal voting and phone voting

• Information for people who are blind or have low vision

• People living with dementia

• People who are deaf or hard of hearing

Life Without Barriers and Polaron

Life Without Barriers and Polaron have collaborated to address the language barriers that some people may encounter during the upcoming Referendum, empowering people to make informed decisions by providing translated resources and information. Through the initiative, social media toolkits, videos, and translated information have been developed, catering to over 45 languages.

Resources are available in Auslan (Australian Sign Language), Easy English, and Plain Language.

• You can download the Auslan Social Media Toolkit here.

• You can download the Easy Read Social Media Toolkit here.

• You can download the Easy Read Factsheet here.

• You can download the Plain Language Social Media Toolkit here.

• You can download the Plain Language Factsheet here.