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"...This body is specifically designed to provide guidance and counsel to the Parliament..."
During the organization's annual general meeting held on Saturday, the President of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), Ian Chesterman, declared that the AOC has chosen to endorse the “yes” in the impending referendum, which is set to transpire in the second half of 2023.
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The referendum entails a proposed legislative measure aimed at effecting a reform of the Australian Constitution in order to accord recognition to the First Peoples of Australia by instituting an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
This body is specifically designed to provide guidance and counsel to the Parliament on matters pertaining to Indigenous communities.
The recent announcement by the AOC has earned it the distinction of being amongst the early sporting organizations to take a definitive stance on the forthcoming referendum.
Congratulations to the AOC - The Australian Olympic Committee for backing the YES vote for the Voice constitutional recognition of First Nations people giving them a say that can’t be abolished at whim
— Paul Bongiorno (@PaulBongiorno) May 6, 2023
Chesterman said the decision to support the proposal was made during a meeting of the AOC Executive and AOC Athletes' Commission on Friday.
"The AOC is an organization that believes reconciliation with our First Nations people must be achieved," he said in a statement on Saturday, adding: "We have committed ourselves to pursue reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through sport. That goal was embedded in our constitution back in 2015."
According to Patrick Johnson, who holds the position of chair within the AOC, there has been a significant and widespread endorsement of the “yes” on the proposal.
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