Closing the Stroke Gap: Stroke Foundation’s support for The Voice

Stroke impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities significantly. For First Nations peoples, strokes occur earlier in life, more often, and result in worse outcomes. This is the Stroke Gap between First Nations peoples and non-Indigenous Australians. Stroke Foundation is working hard to close this gap through our prevention, treatment, recovery, and research programs, and warrants urgent action.

Stroke Foundation acknowledges the enormous strengths in First Nations peoples’ deep connections to Country, Culture and Community that contribute significantly to improving their health and wellbeing. We are committed to continuing to work with First Nations peoples to recognise and build on these strengths to ensure better stroke outcomes.

Australians will this year be asked to vote in a referendum proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Australia. If successful, this will enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament and Government for the first time.

Stroke Foundation supports this proposal and believes that decisions affecting First Nations peoples should ensure that their voice informs those decisions. We acknowledge the evidence showing that gaps in socio-economic and cultural outcomes between First Nations peoples and non-Indigenous Australians also magnify the gaps in health outcomes, including for stroke.

An enshrined Voice to Parliament will give First Nations communities a greater opportunity to inform and contribute to the decisions that impact their lives, including health care. We believe that in doing so, the Voice to Parliament will materially contribute to better recognition of First Nations peoples’ knowledge and strengths and help close the gaps between First Nations peoples and non-Indigenous Australians, including the Stroke Gap.

Our own journey to support and maintain meaningful opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders has begun with the development of our first Reconciliation Action Plan. Stroke Foundation’s support of the Voice to Parliament confirms our commitment to reconciliation and aligns with the Foundation’s values.

Our support for the proposal aligns with the Stroke Foundation’s Values of Courage, Excellence, Compassion, Integrity, and Leadership.

The upcoming referendum on The Voice is a personal choice and we respect that there will be diverse views among the Australian community about the proposal. We encourage everyone to seek the information they need to form their own view.

Stroke Foundation is an apolitical organisation. We work with all governments across Australia and will continue to do so to improve the lives of all Australians. We believe that the provision of equality and human rights should transcend politics and regard The Voice as a significant opportunity to move Australia towards genuine reconciliation.