CANBERRA, 26 September – Following the announcement of the referendum date, the Tech Council of Australia (TCA) Board has confirmed its support for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament to be enshrined in the constitution.
Kate Pounder, CEO of the TCA said, “From launch, the TCA has made it a priority to increase diversity within the tech sector. That includes greater participation by Indigenous Australians in tech jobs, and more opportunities for Indigenous founders.”
“Supporting the Voice is consistent with our commitment to improve diversity because it can help empower Indigenous communities to have a greater say in policies and decisions that affect them. As a community of innovators, we know that solving hard problems and making improvements starts by understanding pain points listening to the people affected by them.”
“After more than a decade of trying to close the gap, there remains significant inequity in economic and social outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia. While we are making progress in some areas, it’s clear that our current approaches aren’t achieving the scale of change at the pace that’s required.”
“Change will also require greater action by the tech sector to support Indigenous entrepreneurship and tech job opportunities. Tech companies are already taking action, but we know more can be done. We believe that we all have a responsibility to create a fairer and more inclusive future. This includes lifting our joint efforts to close the digital divide and ensure Indigenous Australians are strongly represented in Australia’s fast-growing, high-skilled and well-paid digital economy.”
Speaking on behalf of the Board, Robyn Denholm, Chair of the TCA said, “The Board agreed this position following a process of engagement and consultation across our membership. The Tech Council recognises that it has an important leadership role to help build support for this reform and to ensure the tech sector is informed with accurate and trusted information ahead of the upcoming referendum. We respect there will be different views on this topic, including by member companies who can take their own positions and as such this is non-binding.”
About the Tech Council of Australia
The Tech Council of Australia is the peak industry body for Australia’s tech sector. Providing a trusted voice for Australia’s technology industry, with over 160 members, the Tech Council comprises the full spectrum of tech companies.
We aim to advise and engage with Australian governments, businesses, and the wider community to help support the ongoing creation, development, and adoption of technology across industries.
Our vision is for a prosperous Australia that thrives by harnessing the power of technology.
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