The USU Board Directors unanimously passed a motion today to support the Voice to Parliament.
An emergency Board meeting was called to finalise the USU’s stance and statement on the Voice to Parliament. This was the only motion on notice until the meeting moved to an in-camera session.
Most Board Members were present for this segment — except for USU Secretary Onor Nottle, who was seen at Courtyard concurrent to the meeting — to confirm the University of Sydney Union’s (USU) support for the Voice to Parliament.
This declaration comes off the back of multiple schools, faculties, and the academic board announcing their support for the Voice, as the University as a whole has not formally taken a stance.
USU President Naz Sharifi acknowledged the various efforts from stakeholders and Board members in their “engagement and collaboration” in drafting the statement.
The statement plays a continuing role in the USU’s recently drafted Reconciliation Action Plan, “which guides us in fostering positive relationships and creating an environment that values Indigenous voices and experience while recognising the intricate cultures, traditions, and language of First Nations Peoples.”
Board Member Alexander Poirier (Unity) noted the USU engaged in a “a lot of good consultation,” which resulted in positive “feedback from First Nations representatives”.
At one point, Board member Bryson Constable (Liberal) noticed that there was a missing parenthesis in the document. Board Director Naz Sharifi responded that his point was “noted”.
With no abstentations, dissent or concerns raised, the motion passed unanimously.
Sharifi added that this would be the “first step in engaging more… the USU will continue to incorporate First Nations advice, stakeholdership in everything we do … [as it is] more than a tokenistic matter.”
The statement concluded that “regardless of the Voice Referendum’s outcome, the USU remains resolute in our commitment to reconciliation. Our dedication to fostering positive relationships, valuing Indigenous voices, and contributing to a more inclusive campus will continue to be at the forefront of our actions.”
The USU will be holding a Speaker Series session on the Voice to parliament with Professor Rick Macourt on September 12.