Australian Story: June 26

A mid year season final for Australian Story on Monday profiles constitutional lawyer Megan Davis, one of the driving forces behind the Voice referendum.

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

8pm Monday on ABC.