All Six States Reject Proposal to Recognise Indigenous People in Australian Constitution
SYDNEY, Oct 14 (Reuters) – Australia’s efforts for reconciliation with its First Peoples suffered a major setback on Saturday as all six states rejected a proposal to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution. The referendum, the first in almost a quarter of a century, asked Australians to vote on whether to alter the constitution to establish an Indigenous advisory body called the “Voice to Parliament”.
With nearly 70% of the vote counted, the “No” vote led “Yes” by a significant margin of 60% to 40%. Australian TV networks, including the national broadcaster ABC, projected that a majority of voters in all six states rejected the proposal. In order for a referendum to pass, it requires at least four of the six states to vote in favor, along with a national majority.
The rejection of the proposal has been seen as a setback for reconciliation efforts in the country. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the disappointing outcome but emphasized the need to find a new way forward for reconciliation. “Tonight is not the end of the road and is certainly not the end of our efforts to bring people together,” Albanese said in a televised news conference.
The Voice to Parliament was initially proposed in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a document crafted by Indigenous leaders in 2017. The proposal aimed to unite Australia by entrenching an Indigenous advisory body in the constitution. Despite Indigenous leaders and advocates supporting the change, some critics argued that it would be divisive and ineffective.
Australia’s Indigenous population, which makes up 3.8% of the country’s 26 million people, has faced significant socio-economic disadvantages. They are not currently mentioned in the constitution. The proposal to give them recognition through the Voice to Parliament was seen as a step towards rectifying these historical injustices.
The referendum result raises concerns among academics and human rights advocates who fear that reconciliation efforts could be set back by years. Opponents of the proposal, including leaders of major conservative parties, argued that the Voice would become a third chamber of parliament and result in more federal aid to Aboriginal people.
Referendums are notoriously difficult to pass in Australia, with only eight out of 44 succeeding since the country’s founding in 1901. The last referendum, held almost a quarter of a century ago, saw voters reject a proposal for Australia to become a republic. This year’s referendum, which lacked unified support, is the first to have failed without bipartisan backing.
Prime Minister Albanese has invested significant political capital in the Voice to Parliament proposal, making this referendum loss a significant setback for his government. Opposition leader Peter Dutton criticized Albanese for holding a referendum “that Australia did not need to have” and called for a proposal that unites Australians rather than divides them.
Alongside political divisions, a misinformation campaign on social media spread fears about the powers of the Voice, leading to confusion among voters. Despite these challenges, Prime Minister Albanese remains committed to reconciliation efforts and is determined to find alternative paths to achieve this goal.