Are you an Australian living overseas? Here’s how to vote for the Voice Referendum

Whether you are an expat Australian who lives overseas for work or are on holiday, it is mandatory to vote in the upcoming Voice to Parliament Referendum. Australia’s ambassador to Portugal explains how you can exercise this important right and duty overseas.

If you are an Australian citizen, vote in the referendum for Indigenous Voice to Parliament 2023, inside or outside Australia, in person or by post.

Australia is just weeks away from holding a referendum for instituting an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

With voting being mandatory for all Australians above the age of 18 irrespective of where they may be in the world, exercising this important right and duty can be confusing for some.

An Australian who doesn’t vote in a state or federal election and a referendum will invite penalties under the law.

SBS Portuguese caught up with the Australian ambassador in Lisbon, Indra McCormick, who explained how Australians living anywhere in the world can vote.

The Australian ambassador to Portugal, Indra McCormick, and the Portuguese Republic's President, Professor Marcelo Ribeiro de Sousa.

The Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum is essential. And the Australian embassy in Lisbon will be a place to vote. We ask all Australians in Portugal to check our website for updates.

Indra McCormick

The ambassador hopes that many Australian citizens in Portugal will vote as the community is growing in the country.

“According to data from the Portuguese government, there are around 1,000 Australian citizens in Portugal, but this number does not include citizens with dual nationality," she said.

At the Australian embassy in Lisbon, we estimate that Australian citizens in Portugal now number 5,000.

The number of Australians in Portugal seems to be rising because of their increasing interest in commercial and investment opportunities, thereby making it more of a business destination for them than just a place to holiday.

Businesses such as wineries, hotels, yoga studios, cafes and the renewable energy sector are attracting Australians to Portugal.

Ms McCormick told SBS Portuguese that Australian voters can visit the Australian Embassy in Lisbon for in-person voting on October 6 and from October 11-13 between from 10am to 12noon and from 2pm to 4pm.

Voters will need to present a valid identification such as an Australian passport or driving licence.

For those who can’t visit the embassy or do not wish to vote in person, must request a postal vote directly from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), Sydney by 6pm on 11 October.

All Australian citizens are encouraged to ensure their details are current on the electoral rolls. To do this, visit the Australian Electoral Commission website (aec.gov.au).

How to vote from other places overseas

For the Referendum, the AEC, in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Austrade, will offer in-person voting in most Australian Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions.

The number of in-person voting centres in cities worldwide will increase from what was available for the 2022 federal election.

The voting options for overseas Australians during the 2023 referendum depend on local conditions. For more information, visit the website Referendum Vote Overseas.

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