Australians reject referendum to give greater political rights to indigenous people

Australia has rejected a referendum to to give greater political rights to Indigenous people in a landslide result. Voters were asked on Saturday if they supported a constitutional amendment which would allow for recognition of the Indigenous people of Australia through a prescribing body to be called the 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice'.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice would  be allowed to 'make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people'.

Regions with a high proportion of Indigenous Australians overwhelmingly voted yes in the referendum.

The 'yes' vote in polling catchments where Indigenous Australians formed more than 50% of the population was, on average, 63% in favour of enshrining an Indigenous voice to parliament.

However, in regions where indigenous people did not make up a substantial percentage of the population, an almost exact inverse trend was noted. Overall the referendum was rejected nationally with a 60% no vote.

The referendum, dubbed "The Voice", was Australia's first in almost 25 years and was seen by supporters as a historic opportunity to engage

The region with the highest percentage of 'yes' votes was Wadeye in Australian's Northern Territory where over 85% of the population identify as indigenous Aboriginal or Torres Island Straiter. Wadeye voted 93% in favour of a 'yes' vote for The Voice referendum.

Opponents of The Voice referendum described it as 'divisive' and that a yes result in the referendum 'would create special "classes" of citizens where some were more equal than others, and that the new advisory body would slow government decision-making.

Labour senator for the Northern Territory (where there are the most indigenous population located), Malarndirri McCarthy, said of the no result: This was so important for Indigenous people'.

'I want to emphasise the point of that to all Australians, that this was always going to be about the 3% of the population who are asking for an advisory body to the constitution' McCarthy said who is Yanyuwa aboriginal woman herself.

The no campaign was also criticised for their appeal to undecided voters with a 'Don't know? Vote No' slogan, with supporters of the referendum accusing the campaign of being run on misinformation about the effect of The Voice referendum.

Labor Prime Minister Anthony addressed the nation after the rejection of his party's proposed referendum saying that he respected the vote and 'the democratic process that has delivered it'.

Irish singer-songwriter Declan O'Rourke was one of the many Irish people who expressed solidarity with indigenous Australians. Sharing a post on X, the musician said: 'If anyone wants to want to know the face of dignity, grace and true patience across a period of 235 years and counting, look to the First Nations Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples of Australia.'

With the greatest sympathy, I send love and courage this day to all those who, with only openness and humanity in their hearts, voted in Australia’s ‘voice’ referendum yesterday. Ultimately, Australia, as one people, were not ready to stand together on this matter; to my mind a… pic.twitter.com/DQYgS9oPPM

— Declan O'Rourke (@declanorourke) October 15, 2023