The Voice, not the singing competition but the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice to parliament, is something very personal to me.

My name is Roslyn Lockhart and I am firstly a Barkindji woman, but also a nurse and union member.

My mum, a proud Barkindji woman, was also a nurse for more than 45 years and a union member for all of that time.  She was also a delegate for her local union. When I joined the profession, she was a strong advocate for union membership. My mum believes in the strength of the collective way of fighting for critical issues, as well as protecting and supporting nurses to ensure they know their rights and responsibilities.

Remember that being Indigenous and able to vote in elections had just become a right around the same time my mum became a nurse and union member. Having a say and a voice was not taken for granted by my Aboriginal mum; it was something she deeply valued and encouraged.

Her important message of having a collective say – through the union – is what inspires me to support the Voice.

My understanding is that the Voice is a formal process for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to have a say in government legislation and policies that directly impact us. This means we would have a greater say on the issues that affect us.

The individuals who are core to enacting the Voice to parliament would be elected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It would be a voice of the people, for the people representing the First Nation peoples of this land.

How can it ever be wrong for people to have a say in matters that affect them so deeply?

Rosyln Lockhart, RN

Pictured: Rosyln Lockhart, RN of 23 years, pictured with her mum, Barbara Brown, retired nurse of 45 years