The Annual History Lecture is an event produced & presented by the History Council of New South Wales every year, which aims to engage and educate the community about the vitality, diversity and meaning of history and its practice through the eyes of historians and others prominent in public history.

In 2023, the Annual History Lecture was be presented by Thomas Mayo, Uluru Statement from the Heart signatory and Voice to Parliament campaigner.

At the current moment in history, a Voice for First Nations peoples is front and centre for all Australians in a referendum that will be held later in the year.

Our theme for History Week 2023, ‘Voices from the Past’, invited History Council members to explore how we listen for voices in the historical record and amplify the voices of storytellers.

In the Annual History Lecture, following this theme, Thomas discussed the history and significance of the Voice to Parliament. Thomas spoke about the long journey to this constitutional moment today, when all Australians will face a unique opportunity to answer the invitation in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

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