Pittwater Life August 2023 Issue

‘Voice to Council’ raised
News
Northern Beaches Council staff are
working on the feasibility of a new
Indigenous ‘Voice to Council’, it
has been revealed.
The Voice to Council would mirror the
functions of the ‘Voice to Parliament’,
with a local Indigenous body either
selected or elected to represent
Indigenous views to Council in an
advisory capacity.
In matters held over from Council’s
July meeting and scheduled for hearing
at an extraordinary meeting on August
1, Curl Curl Ward Greens Councillor
Kristyn Glanville proposed a range of
support measures to promote the Voice to
Parliament, including that staff consult
with the local Aboriginal community and
organisations regarding their views on
amending the Australian Constitution to
create the ‘Voice’ to Parliament, plus any
local events or activities they already are
planning or participating in regarding the
Voice.
Ms Glanville queried what local role,
activations, or activities Council could
take to promote discussion and sharing
of ideas regarding the Voice.
She proposed that a working group
comprised of Councillors and staff be
formed to identify and action any events
or activities Council could facilitate,
within existing budgets, to promote
discussion and sharing of ideas regarding
the Voice. This could be achieved through
a local ‘Town Hall’ of speakers delivering
a range of well-informed views.
Also in the motion to Council, Ms
Glanville requested staff identify
and action any financial or in-kind
support, within existing budgets, that
Council could offer to assist Aboriginal
Stakeholders or organisation planning
COUNCIL MODEL: The Voice to Parliament.
their own local activities and events
concerning the Voice, and report on the
activities of the working group at the
next viable Council meeting.
She noted some Councils had already
made the decision to actively endorse
a Voice to Parliament, including Blue
Mountains City Council.
In her background summary, Ms
Glanville noted: “Based on 2021 census
data, approximately 1700 people live in
the Northern Beaches with Aboriginal or
Torres Strait Islander ancestry, including
people directly descended from the
original tribes of the Northern Beaches.”
She explained that the Aboriginal
Heritage Office operated on the
Northern Beaches, as well as many other
Aboriginal organisations and businesses
including the Aboriginal Support
Group Manly Warringah Pittwater,
the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal
Land Council, Bush to Bowl, and The
Gaimaragal Group.
“As the community considers whether
the Australian Constitution should be
amended to provide an advisory voice
to Federal Parliament, there is also
an opportunity to consider whether
Northern Beaches Council should also
have an advisory group on a local level,”
she said.
“There is existing work underway by
the Community team within Council to
consider these possibilities, and this will
be dealt with at a future meeting.”
Pittwater Life asked Council to detail
its current process in consulting and
liaising with traditional landowner
stakeholders on matters pertaining to
their culture and heritage across the
Northern Beaches Local Government
Area – for example, proposals for places
and street names and matters to do with
Council-managed reserves and land.
Council responded: “Council recognises
the importance of working with our
local Aboriginal community and various
organisations and groups to actively
seek feedback and their input on various
projects.
“We are also currently creating
cultural protocols and a holistic
approach to engagement with First
Nations people.
“Key groups that Council consults
with include the Metropolitan Local
Aboriginal Land Council, Aboriginal
Heritage Office, Northern Beaches
Aboriginal Education Consultative
Group, and our local Aboriginal
community members.”
– Nigel Wall
*What do you think? Tell us at readers@
pittwaterlife.com.au
16 AUGUST 2023
The Local Voice Since 1991