Australian Story on ABC – When Megan Davis was 12 years old, her mother bought home a secondhand book with a copy of the Constitution in the back.
The indigenous girl in the housing commission home fell in love with it.
“She carried the Constitution around when she was a kid, which is just weird”, says her sister Lucy.
“It says all you need to know, not only that her mum had this expectation that it might be of interest to a 12-year-old, but that Megan would read it”, says friend and magistrate Louise Taylor.
Thirty years on, Megan Davis is a respected constitutional lawyer and one of the driving forces behind the Voice referendum, a proposal to give indigenous people the constitutional right to advise government on laws that affect them.
“Megan is going to hold a very important chapter in the story of Australia”, says Linda Burney, Minister for Indigenous Australians.
Megan believes giving her people a seat at the policy table will help them improve their lives.
“She is a very stubborn, and very convicted personality”, says indigenous leader Noel Pearson. “Without somebody like her, I don’t think we could have reached the point we reached.”
As the referendum campaign picks up pace, Megan knows the stakes are high.
“I feel emotional and I feel tired and I feel optimistic”, she says.
Producer: Olivia Rousset
Australian Story – Monday 26 June, 2023 at 8:00pm on ABC and ABC iview
Media Release – ABC
TV Central ABC content HERE
