The Federal Government has revealed the all-Indigenous team it will lean on to shape the Voice to Parliament ahead of an expected referendum next year.
Among the high profile names on the referendum working group are former Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt, First People's Assembly of Victoria co-chairs Marcus Stewart and Geraldine Atkinson, and Uluru Dialogue co-chairwoman Megan Davis.
Unveiling the 20-strong panel at the Committee of Economic Development of Australia State of the Nation conference in Canberra on Thursday, Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said the referendum must be led by the community.
"There is much to work to do, many more steps to be taken on the road to the referendum," she said.
"And let's be clear government cannot lead this referendum. This will come from the grassroots; from communities."
The group will be co-chaired by Ms Burney and WA Senator Pat Dodson.
It will be tasked with working out when the referendum will be held and refining the proposed constitutional amendment and question to be put to a referendum.
The first meeting will be held on Friday at Parliament House in Canberra.
A second group will be established to provide advice on building community understanding, awareness and support, engage with First Nations communities and advocate for the Voice.
Ms Burney said the engagement group would comprise of representatives from the across the country including land councils, local governments, and Aboriginal community controlled organisations.
She said the next steps of the campaign would be to get First Nations representatives together, build communtiy support and harness the goodwill of the Australian community which has so far seen strong support for the Voice despite a lack of information on key details.
"Everyone has a part to play, from sports clubs and schools to community groups, and, of course, the business community," she said.
"Many small and large businesses have made a good start in lending their voice in support of the Uluru Statement from the Heart."
Referendum Working Group members:
- Pat Turner, NACCHO chief executive
- Ken Wyatt, former Indigenous Australians Minister
- Tom Calma, Reconciliation Australia co-chair.
- Megan Davis, Uluru Dialogue co-chair.
- June Oscar, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner
- Noel Pearson, Cape York Institute founder
- Marcia Langton, Indigenous Voice Co-design co-chair
- Dale Aduis, South Australian First Nations Voice commissioner
- Pat Anderson, Uluru Dialogue co-chair
- Geraldine Atkinson, First People's Assembly of Victoria co-chair
- Marcus Stewart, First People's Assembly of Victoria co-chair
- Rodney Dillon, Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Community Alliance Rodney Dillon
- Graeme Gardner, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre chairman
- Sean Gordon, Gingee Group managing director
- Jackie Huggins, Queensland Treaty Advancement Committee
- Thomas Mayor, From The Heart representative
- Dean Parkin, From The Heart representative.
- Sally Scales, APY artist
- Napau Pedro Stephen, Torres Strait Regional Authority chairman.
- Peter Yu, ANU vice president
