No one should be surprised that an organisation like depa, focused on fairness and justice, has embraced the Yes vote for the impending referendum.
In 1991, as part of a national agenda on award restructuring, we were obliged to set up consultative committees at each Council when we made the Local Government State Award. lt seemed a bold step, particularly for an industry which at that time wasn’t very consultative, nor respectful of the contribution that its employees could make to how things could work better.
Some of the old Town and Shire Clerks (as they were called prior to the 1993 Act), attacked it as inappropriate, the death of their managerial prerogative, an unwanted obligation to communicate with their workforce when they believed they had nothing to offer.
But it wasn’t to be a decision-making body. It could only make recommendations. These people were uninformed and easily spooked. Now, a bit over 30 years later, it still operates that way.
How did we ever do without it? How could opening communication and the sharing of opinions and ideas with workers historically denied access to management for so long, not be a logical step.
Challenging for some it may have been, but it was a great achievement. We still believe it critical to be represented on that committee in each Council.
The uninformed got it wrong in 1991, they can’t get this wrong as well.
The question itself is innocuous:
“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?”
The Voice will make recommendations to Government, it has no other power. It’s only advisory, the Government still makes the decisions. The depa Committee of Management voted unanimously for us to support the Yes campaign - one member observed they were “proud to be part of an organisation that has the courage to do what is obviously the right thing”.
How could we do anything else?
And we have First Nations members who deserve our support. Let’s not disappoint them.
