Women’s Electoral Lobby in partnership with Immigrant Women’s Speakout Association invites you to attend a forum on 5th September from 2-3:30pm to be held at the Max Webber Function Centre at Blacktown Library on the Referendum for a Constitutional change to recognise First Nation Australians and to enshrine a Voice to the Federal Parliament and Executive Government for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. 

The objective of the Forum is to engage local diverse communities in the western suburbs of Sydney in a discussion about the Referendum questions and the desirability of an informed and positive vote.

Our panel of speakers will be facilitated by Kittu Randhawa who works in the Indian community. She established the Indian Crisis and Support Agency, the first of its kind in the Indian community. Kittu is a champion of women’s rights and a tireless advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse women in Australia. 

Panellists include:

Professor Gabrielle Appleby is a Professor at the Law Faculty at the University of NSW. In 2016-17, she worked as a constitutional adviser to the Regional Dialogues and the First nations Constitutional Convention that led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart

Colleen Mitchell is an educator and proud Darug woman

Nalika Padmasena President of Sri Lankan-Australian Women’s Network; Past President of Sri Lanka Association of NSW; and Member Multicultural NSW Sydney West Regional Advisory Council

Ruby Langton-Batty a proud descendant of the Bidjara and Iman peoples of Central Queensland. She was born in Alice Springs, grew up in the NT and Melbourne, and has lived in Sydney for over ten years. She was raised in an Aboriginal family and in Aboriginal culture and taught to have respect for others and a commitment to justice and human rights. Holding a Juris Doctor degree from UNSW, Ruby is a solicitor in Ashurst’s pro bono team. Prior to studying law, she worked as a professional stage and screen designer

Anita Hanna is the Director Policy and Programs at Western Sydney Community Forum and has worked in community development, settlement, housing, mental health and disability, in local and state governments, in non-government organisations and in the university sector

Join our panel for this important community discussion!