Voice Referendum outcome (17 Oct 2023)

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to you as the Head of the State Service to acknowledge that we will be respecting the call from many Aboriginal employees and Aboriginal people across the Country for a week of silence, in relation to the outcome of the Voice Referendum.

I wish to relay the following message from some of our Aboriginal employees:

We ask you to respect the call for a week of silence. Give us time to digest the referendum outcome. We are hurting and many of us are angry. Give us time and space to come together to yarn, support each other and reflect. Give us time and space to heal and re-group. We are spiritually and emotionally tired and exhausted. We are and have always been a strong and proud People, and we will continue to be.  Please give us the space and time we need.

Support us if we ask for it, if not, give us silence. If we ask to postpone meetings this week, give us this. If we ask to work in a culturally safe space, work from home or to take leave, give us this. If we ask for Aboriginal Cultural Leave to be on Country, be with our Community and Family, give us this. We know there are many of you also hurting, we ask you to take care of yourselves as we need to take care of ourselves.

I know you will all join me and respect what is being asked of us.

Jenny Gale
Head of the State Service
Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet
17 Oct 2023