Wagga City Council's Uluru Statement from the Heart session covers details of consultation, Voice and referendum

First Nations representatives from the Uluru Youth Dialogue and Uluru Statement campaign presented the arguments and processes behind the statement from the heart, and wider context around the Australian constitution.

This comes ahead of a referendum establishing an indigenous Voice to Parliament, expected to be held later this year.

The session opened with a welcome to country by Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Kath Withers, and a smoking ceremony performed by Wiradjuri man Luke Wighton. Both encouraged attendees to approach the information session in the spirit of reconciliation.

"The main two purposes of the smoking ceremony are healing and cleansing," Mr Wighton said.

"That's why we're doing it today - to remove any negative energy."

Gemma McKinnon, a Barkinji woman and responsible business manager at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), took aim at misinformation around the voice that has circulated in the Australian community, including its description by some former coalition ministers as a "third chamber" of federal parliament, or the idea it would be destructive to Australian democracy.

"We're providing information based on our legal backgrounds, and experiences being involved in the efforts to bring the dialogue to a referendum," Ms McKinnon said.

"But we're not here campaigning - we're delivering community legal education, and hopefully providing a forum for people to ask questions."

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Other countries with with indigenous histories have already moved ahead of Australia in this area, with most north European countries already having established similar bodies, Canada and the United States establishing treaties with indigenous peoples, and New Zealand reserving seats in parliament for Maori representatives.

Pro bono solicitor from HSF Kishaya Delaney described the deep consultation process with indigenous communities that ultimately led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, noting that while there was not an absolute consensus among indigenous communities, support for the statement and its goals of voice, treaty and truth have far greater support than is typically seen in any Australian community.

Ms Delaney pointed to the tendency of governments to conduct enquiries rather that drive action on indigenous recognition.

"Over the last ten decades, Aboriginal people have been seeking parliamentary representation of some kind of another, to give them a a forum to bring their concerns directly to Canberra," she said.

"Since the Gillard government committed to constitutional recognition, we've seen six parliamentary processes, and nine reports on the issue of what Indigenous recognition looks like.

"Never before through all these processes had there been a proper consultation with Indigenous people, that allow them to have a dialogue, a say in these matters."

An Ipsos poll released last month showed Indigenous support for the voice at 80 per cent - an almost unimaginably high level of political consensus in Australia's divisive political climate.

Dr Joe McGirr offered unambiguous support for the yes position in statements made before and after the session, putting him at odds with federal member for Riverina, Michael McCormack.

"I felt that the session clarified the extensive work that has been done to this point through nation-wide consultations with First Nations people. It was encouraging to hear that more than 80 per cent of First Nations people support the yes position in the referendum," he said

"The session also outlined the support that the voice has from senior judicial figures and the commitments made by various governments and parties. I believe it provided the information the community needs to make an informed decision.

"I would like to see the existing range of resources made more widely available and well communicated. This is the sort of information that will give Australians confidence to support the referendum on the voice later this year."

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