SA Voice nominations and vote delayed until March 2024

A date to vote for SA’s Voice to parliament reps has been delayed until next year, the Aboriginal Affairs Minister says.

The date for South Australians to vote on representatives for the state Voice to parliament has been pushed back to 2024, blaming the national referendum for muddying the waters around the process.

Originally scheduled for September 9 of this year, South Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will now have until February 12, 2024, to nominate to be part of the Voice.

Commissioner for First Nations Voice Dale Agius said there were concerns that increasing prominence of the Commonwealth ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns was causing confusion and making it harder to inform communities about how to enrol and nominate for the state Voice.

“I am hearing more and more that people are needing more time to learn more about the final model and how to get involved with the elections, but that the debate around the national referendum is making this increasingly challenging,” Mr Agius said.

South Australia’s landmark Voice to Parliament vote will be pushed back as debate rages nationally. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher with the National Referendum Engagement Group. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

“People have told me that having more time is something that would be beneficial, to go through the referendum process, and to then focus on participating in the SA Voice elections.”

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher said the work being done in SA was being overshadowed by national debate and the state government wished to distance the process from Commonwealth Voice discussions.

The nomination period for the Voice will now open on January 22, 2024, and close on February 12, 2024.

Those wishing to vote in the Voice elections must now be enrolled by February 12.

Early voting will open from March 4 to March 15 next year, with polling day taking place on Saturday, March 16.