Victorian Bar statement on the Voice

All financial Division A Part I members of the Victorian Bar were eligible to participate in the online poll which closed at 4:00pm on Thursday 8 June 2023.

Of the 2229 members eligible to vote, 1767 cast votes in the poll. Members were asked if they supported one of two motions or chose to abstain from voting in respect of both motions. The motions and the full results are set out below:

Motion 1: That the Bar Council on behalf of The Victorian Bar Incorporated does not publicly support either the “yes” case or the “no” case in any referendum to alter the Australian Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

This motion was supported by 714 members who participated in the poll (40.4 per cent of votes cast)

Motion 2: That the Bar Council says that The Victorian Bar Incorporated supports Constitutional recognition of Australia’s First People. The Victorian Bar Incorporated considers that the amendment proposed by the Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution is sound, appropriate, and compatible with Australia’s system of representative and responsible Government which would be enhanced by the addition of the Voice.

This motion was supported by 1008 members who participated in the poll (57.0 per cent of votes cast)

Option 3: Abstain from voting in respect of motions 1 and 2.

This option was selected by 45 members who participated in the poll (2.5 per cent of votes cast) 

Victorian Bar president Sam Hay KC thanked all members who participated in the poll.