South Australia has become the first jurisdiction in the country to set up an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

A special Sunday sitting of SA Parliament passed the bill creating the Voice, which has been assented to by the governor in a ceremonial meeting of the state’s executive council.

Addressing the Lower House, Premier Peter Malinauskas described the legislation as “momentous” for the state’s Indigenous people.

“It has been a long time coming but First Nations voices will now be heard in the state of South Australia,” he said.

Representatives for the South Australian Voice will be elected in coming months, with the mechanism expected to be running before the end of the year.

Establishing a state-based Voice comes ahead of the referendum to enshrine a federal body in the constitution.

Mr Malinauskas acknowledged the efforts of “so many to get to this point”, including Attorney-General and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher and Dale Agius, the state’s First Nations commissioner.

“I acknowledge and indeed completely respect the fact that this legislation hasn’t enjoyed unanimous support within this place,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“But the debate that has got us to the point we are today has been extraordinarily civil, considered and courteous.”

Mr Malinauskas said he hoped the Voice could be something all MPs, for generations to come, could support and utilise.

Opposition Leader David Speirs said he hoped the Voice succeeded, despite his party not voting for the laws because it believe the model put forward had “flaws.”

“I’ve spoken to many, many Aboriginal people who are concerned about today and the model that is being passed. They don’t believe that it will lead to practical outcomes,” Mr Speirs said.

More to come.