In Australia, Aboriginal rights receive a “no” vote in a referendum

2023-10-14 13:07:46
Supporters of yes and no to the referendum to amend the Australian Constitution campaign on voting day in Queanbeyan, October 14, 2023. TRACEY NEARMY / REUTERS

Australians clearly rejected, on Saturday October 14, a reform of Aboriginal rights, submitted by referendum, following an acrimonious campaign which deepened racial divisions in the country. According to the counting of the votes of three quarters of the country’s polling stations, 55% of voters voted no to the text which proposed to recognize in the Constitution the Aborigines as the first inhabitants of the island and to give them a ” voice “ specific.

The plan called for the creation of an advisory council – nicknamed “The Voice” – to Parliament and government to advise on laws and public policies that affect Indigenous, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, which number 984,000. people, or 3.8% of the Australian population. “Australians voted against changing the Constitution”declared the Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, on the public channel ABC, recognizing the failure of the referendum.

Fake news

Initially largely in the majority, the camp in favor of changing the 1901 Constitution has continued to lose ground in recent months, notably due to the campaign led by the conservative opposition, led by the former minister of defense. , Peter Dutton. For the conservative camp, the reform constituted constitutional tinkering and would have created divisions within society, by creating a distinction in citizenship.

“It’s a difficult result, a very difficult result”, said “Yes23” campaign director Dean Parkin. The campaign led to an avalanche of racist comments on social networks. To be adopted, the reform had to receive a majority of votes not only at the national level but also in at least four of the country’s six states. She got neither.

False information has circulated, some of which claims that property titles could be called into question or that reparations would have to be paid if the reform passes. Today, more than two hundred years after British colonization, indigenous Australians, whose ancestors have lived on the continent for at least sixty thousand years, have the same rights as other citizens but still suffer from significant inequalities.

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The World with AFP