Taronga has taken some time to listen and consult with our First Nations Community, employees, partners and other businesses to consider and develop our statement on The Voice to Parliament as this is an extremely important moment in Australia’s history and it is important that we are all informed.

The Voice to Parliament is proposed in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. It is being proposed to facilitate a process for Indigenous Communities to inform policy and legal decisions that impact their lives and future. Embedding a Voice in the Constitution is intended to recognise the special place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s history.

Taronga’s Reconciliation journey and actions are described in our Strategic Plan Priority ‘Commitment to Country’. The statement on the referendum describes Taronga’s commitment to Culture, Country and Community.

Taronga Conservation Society Australia (Taronga) acknowledges Cammeraigal and Wiradjuri Countries which both our zoos proudly sit on and the many other Countries where we also undertake our conservation work.

Our vision is to secure a shared future for wildlife and people. As a conservation organisation, Taronga's purpose is to save wildlife, inspire people and drive change.

In Taronga’s journey of Reconciliation, we have listened and learnt from Indigenous Peoples and Communities that conservation is Country. It is the lands, waters, sky, animals, energy, plants and people and the kinship and connections between these. Taronga’s commitment to conservation and Country is enriched and better when we continue to listen and learn from the peoples with the longest living Cultures, creating the space to learn from their deep knowledge and values that have developed over sixty millennia.

Taronga is committed to understanding the truth of our history, Culture, current issues and being open to new ways.  Taronga’s work, and our lives outside of work, are enriched and better through our journey of deep listening and contribution from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Communities.  We also know there is still a long way to go. Taronga is committed to continuing to listen and learn and to deepen our understanding around cultural ways of working and thinking. 

We respect and acknowledge the many different mobs and their differences and diversity. We believe that the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum is an extremely important moment in Australia’s history.  We encourage our people and all Australians to seek out the information they need to form their own views. Taronga will continue to be active, challenge ourselves to be better in Australia’s Reconciliation journey and to listen deeply to understand and embed the value of Culture.