Sydney Conservatorium of Music votes to support the Voice to Parliament
Dean and Head of School, Professor Anna Reid, welcomed the statement of support, which was led by First Nations staff and students.
“I am very grateful for the guidance of our First Nations faculty and students, and our Indigenous Strategy and Services committee for developing this beautiful statement. Our recent School Board resoundingly approved it. We affirm our commitment to First Nations music, culture and knowledge here at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.”
Full statement endorsed by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music School Board
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music stands on a place of first contact; interaction through music is part of our past, present, and future. Gadigal songlines provide us with deeply embedded cultural connections to continued music practice on this unceded land. As musicians and artists, we benefit from the knowledge and wisdom that Gadigal people have sung, danced, and storied into this Country and we hold responsibilities for recognition, deep understanding and reciprocity.
Our support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its calls for Voice, Treaty and Truth has historic and ongoing significance for the Conservatorium community. A constitutionally enshrined Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament benefits all Australians and aligns with the principles of the One Sydney, Many People Strategy (pdf, 8.3MB) and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Strategic Plan 2021-2025: Reimagining music for the future (pdf, 1.6MB). We acknowledge that a broad range of views exist, and the Conservatorium is a place where respectful informed debate and freedom of expression is encouraged. The Voice to Parliament is not everything and does not preclude the need for Treaties and Truth Telling.
This position arises from listening to First Nations staff and students and has been developed in collaboration with the Conservatorium Students’ Association and the National Centre for Cultural Competence, who have formally endorsed the Voice to Parliament.
We resolve to:
Stand in support of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and a constitutionally enshrined Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
Want to learn more about the upcoming referendum? Explore upcoming events, guides and FAQs on our Voice to Parliament resource page.