Seniors Rights Service exists to advocate for older people, assisting them and their carers to claim their rights and supporting them in the exercise of those rights, so they enjoy a rich life as senior and respected members of the community with dignified and equitable access to the care and support they need.
The Board of Directors of Seniors Rights Service supports and is committed to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, in particular a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Australian Constitution.
We support a Voice to Parliament as the first step towards implementing the recommendations of the Uluru Statement and critical to our reconciliation journey as a nation. We believe the inclusion and protection of a Voice in the Australian Constitution is essential to creating a better, more informed and just future for this country.
A Voice to Parliament is consistent with international human rights standards and will help provide for better human rights protections by promoting equality and self-determination for First Nations people. It is right and fair that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples participate in decisions which affect their lives. It is the Board’s position that more informed and participatory decision making benefits the entire community, making us stronger and more unified rather than being a cause for division.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognises the right of First Nations to participate in decision making and obliges Australia to consult with First Nations representative institutions before adopting legislative or administrative measures that may affect them. The Voice to Parliament fulfills some, but not all, of the rights within this Declaration.
The Board of Directors of Seniors Rights Service encourages and supports discussion that is well informed, honest and respectful.
