As Australians prepare to vote on whether Indigenous people should have a "Voice" in national policymaking, social media users have shared a false claim that a state-level scheme already in place in South Australia allows local Voice organisations to forcibly seize private property. But legal experts told AFP that these Indigenous Voice groups can only acquire property in the usual way, such as through purchases.

The claim can be seen on Facebook on August 30, 2023 in an image that has been shared 1,000 times.

Text overlaid on the screenshot showing part of a legal document reads: "'The Voice' was always about seizing private property, land & assets!"

The image shows section 10 of the First Nations Voice Act 2023, a law that came into force in the state of South Australia in May to create six local "Voice groups" and one state-level "Voice" (archived link).

Several clauses which state local First Nations "Voice" groups are capable of "holding, acquiring, dealing with and disposing of real and personal property" are highlighted in the image (archived link).

A screenshot of the false post, captured on September 12

The false post surfaced ahead of a referendum on October 14 when voters will be asked to decide whether Indigenous Australians should have an institutional "Voice" in national policymaking.

If passed, Indigenous Australians -- whose ancestors have lived on the continent for at least 60,000 years -- would be recognised in the constitution for the first time.

The...

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