In just six weeks time Dubbo voters will be able to have their say on Australia's constitution.
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On October 14, voters will head to the polls to vote on whether the constitution should be changed to "recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice".
Dubbo councillor Pam Wells, a proud Tubba-Gah woman, is urging locals to do their research before referendum day.
![Coucillor Pam Wells (right) with Dubbo Aboriginal Land Council CEO Tatum Moore and Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney at Victoria Park in Dubbo. Picture supplied Coucillor Pam Wells (right) with Dubbo Aboriginal Land Council CEO Tatum Moore and Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney at Victoria Park in Dubbo. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/137578502/bca1b556-c45a-42e1-99f6-dae09ee94de0.png/r0_27_2050_1398_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
She said the referendum vote is a historic opportunity to change the constitution, "not just a general election every four years."
"It's really important that people know what they're voting for when they go to the polls," she said.
"The fact that people are listening to some social media information which is not correct is actually quite damaging for the referendum.
"I want us to take our focus off the campaign and focus on what the referendum is trying to achieve."
What is the Voice to parliament?
Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney explains the Voice will be a body made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who will give advice to parliament on issues that affect their communities.
If legislation on an issue relating to Indigenous Australians is coming before the Parliament, the Voice would be advised on that policy.
Ms Wells - who will be voting 'yes' - said the Voice referendum has been "a long time coming".
"In 2017 they had the Uluru Statement From the Heart and a great number of First Nations people came together to move towards First Nations people having a Voice," she said.
"The Voice will be enshrined in the constitution so it can't be changed. Since the 1940s there have been multiple different policies out to government which have been frequently changed with different parties coming in and out.
"And that constant change doesn't do any good for the work we're trying to do for First Nations people."
On the ballot paper, voters will be asked to write 'yes' or 'no' in response to a single question.
"A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?"
- Voice to Parliament referendum
All your Voice questions answered
Ahead of the referendum a number of events will be held to help Dubbo locals learn more about the Voice to Parliament and have all their questions answered.
"As a First Nations person I'm very much in support of ensuring that we educate our people and our community and what the Voice means and what it means to vote 'yes' or vote 'no'," Ms Wells said.
On September 13 and 14 there will be information stalls set up in Victoria Park where locals will be able to drop in.
"There'll be a sausage sizzle and people will be able to come and listen and ask some questions," she said.
"It's about having the conversations. This isn't something we want people to decide on in secrecy. We want people to have very open conversations.
"Politics can become a bit heated, but this is something we want people to be educated on."
Also in September, the Dubbo Aboriginal Land Council are planning a main street march.
The Dubbo Regional Council will also be hosting a panel featuring two educated speakers for each side of the debate. The panel will be livestreamed and the audience will be able to submit questions in advance or ask on the day.
"It's important that people explore and research using good sources, not just random things on social media," she says.
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