HESTA superannuation fund declares its support for the Voice after poll shows support slipping

An industry super fund has declared its support for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament a day after an opinion poll showed support slipping for Labor’s constitutional change push.

HESTA, the superannuation fund for health and community services workers, announced its backing on Thursday after a Resolve Monitor Monitor poll showed 47 per cent would vote ‘no’ if a referendum were held now. 

Chief executive Debby Blakey said creating a Voice to Parliament would help tackle Indigenous disadvantage.

‘The Voice to Parliament is our chance to collectively create a stronger and more vibrant future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have the constitutional right to “have a say” on legislation that affects them,’ she said.

An industry super fund has declared its support for the Voice a day after an opinion poll showed support slipping for Labor’s constitutional change push (pictured is chief executive Debby Blakey)

HESTA’s announcement comes a day after a Resolve Political Monitor poll, published in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, found support for the Voice had plunged in May to 53 per cent, down from 63 per cent in August, 2022.

If the trend continued, the referendum would be lost, with a vote expected to be held on a yet-to-be-announced date between October and December this year.

The poll, based on a survey of 1,610 voters, showed a 47 per cent no vote, up from 37 per cent in August last year.

The drop in support for the Voice occurred despite Liberal MP Julian Leeser last month quitting the Opposition frontbench, as shadow minister for Indigenous Australians and shadow attorney-general, so he could publicly back the Voice.

The Liberal and National parties in Opposition are both opposed to the Voice, but backbenchers are free to advocate a ‘yes’ vote.

HESTA’s announcement comes a day after a Resolve Political Monitor poll, published in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, found support for the Voice had plunged in May to 53 per cent, down from 63 per cent in August, 2022 (pictured is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, right, with Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, left, and NBA great Shaquille O’Neal)

Ms Blakey argued supporting the Voice aligned with the investor principles of HESTA, a $72billion industry super fund with one million members.

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‘Our members work primarily in health and community services and see first-hand the devastating consequences of the systemic disadvantage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face,’ she said.

‘As an investor, we also understand that strong and respectful stakeholder relationships are fundamental to good governance and long-term, sustainable value creation, which can lead to improved member outcomes.’

HESTA was an early backer of the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart, which called for ‘the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution’.  

Only eight out of 44 referendums have passed since the first one was held in 1906, with success requiring a majority of votes in a majority of states.

A referendum hasn’t passed since 1977 with Labor last successfully pushing constitutional change in 1946.