First Peoples Disability Network makes referendum information easier to access

Event

13/09/2023

First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) expanded accessible information about Australia’s Voice referendum in September 2023. A government announcement on 13 September highlighted an Easy Read Uluru Statement developed through consultation with First Nations people and people with intellectual disabilities. [1]

Information that people can use

The resources included plain-English, Auslan and accessible video formats. The initiative addressed a practical question: how could people assess a constitutional proposal when conventional campaign material was difficult to understand or use? Disability organizations helped circulate the information through their networks. [1]

Advocates describe the barrier

At a virtual town hall hosted by disability advocate Elly Desmarchelier, FPDN chief executive Damian Griffis stressed the need for accessible participation. Speaking to the ABC, he said: “It's really vital that Australians with disabilities get fair access to information”. He warned that inaccessible information about registering and voting could deter participation. [2]

The vote and the access issue

The referendum took place on 14 October 2023, and the proposal was rejected. FPDN supported the Voice; its accessible materials formed part of that public debate. The reporting also documented a separate, practical concern: voters with disabilities needed usable information to make their own decisions. [3][2][1]

Information that people can use

Advocates describe the barrier

The vote and the access issue

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