An Australian referendum to create an Indigenous advocacy committee to Parliament has failed

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The failure of an Australian referendum aimed at establishing an Indigenous advocacy committee within Parliament has left proponents of constitutional change deeply disheartened. The referendum’s objective was to create a committee that would provide guidance to Parliament on policies affecting Indigenous people, who constitute the nation’s most disadvantaged ethnic minority.

Early ballot counts revealed that 57% of voters opposed the establishment of the Indigenous Voice. Projections from the Australian Broadcasting Corp. indicated that New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, and South Australia had all rejected the proposed amendment. For the referendum to succeed, the Indigenous Voice needed majorities in at least four of the six states, along with a nationwide majority.

Tanya Hosch, a passionate advocate for the Indigenous Voice who dedicated a decade to developing the model, expressed her personal devastation in an interview with ABC. She remarked, “There’s going to be a lot of pain and hurt and dismay, and we’re going to need to take a moment to absorb that message and what it says.”

Another advocate, Tom Mayo, also expressed his deep dismay and attributed the failure to unfair attacks on the plan. He criticized what he described as a dishonest and misleading “no” campaign.

Opinion polls in recent months had indicated a strong majority of Australians opposing the proposal, despite earlier support earlier in the year. Voice advocates had hoped that this initiative, centered on listening to Indigenous perspectives, would lead to more effective government service delivery and improved outcomes for Indigenous lives.

It is important to note that Indigenous Australians, constituting only 3.8% of the population, face significant challenges, including a life expectancy eight years shorter than the wider population, a suicide rate twice the national average, and diseases in remote regions that have been eradicated in other prosperous nations.

The Indigenous Voice referendum would have marked the first successful referendum in Australia since 1977 and the first to pass without bipartisan support from the major political parties.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Indigenous Voice Referendum

More about Indigenous Voice Referendum

• Australian Indigenous Referendum Fails
• Australian Indigenous referendum: Proposal for advisory body rejected
• Indigenous Australians at a Glance
• History of Referendums in Australia