Australians Reject Indigenous Constitutional Reform in Divisive Referendum
In a divisive and racially-charged referendum campaign, Australians have overwhelmingly opposed greater rights for Indigenous citizens, effectively derailing plans to amend the country’s constitution after 122 years. With two-thirds of polling places reporting, 55 percent of voters have cast their ballots against acknowledging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the constitution for the first time.
The proposed constitutional reforms sought to establish a consultative body, known as the Voice to Parliament, which would have played a crucial role in addressing social and economic inequality and influencing legislation impacting Indigenous communities. Despite support from the centre-left government, the yes campaign has consistently trailed in opinion polls for months, making the defeat widely anticipated.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles acknowledged the defeat early in the evening, stating that Australians have not voted for a change to the constitution. The result has been met with anger and frustration among Indigenous Australians, who feel that the white majority has rejected calls for a reckoning with the country’s colonial past.
The Yes23 campaign director, Dean Parkin, expressed disappointment but remained determined: This is a difficult result, this is a very hard result. We did everything we could and we will come back from this. The rejection of constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians highlights a deep divide between the white majority and First Nations people, as polls consistently show that voters, mostly white, place Indigenous issues at the bottom of their political priorities.
The opposition campaign successfully tapped into fears about the effectiveness and role of the proposed Voice assembly, urging voters to reject the reforms if they were unsure. The campaign was also plagued by misinformation spread online, with misleading claims suggesting the Voice would lead to land seizures, create an apartheid-like system similar to South Africa, or be part of a United Nations conspiracy.
Indigenous leader Thomas Mayo expressed anger towards the conduct of the No campaign, which received support from conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton. Mayo accused them of dishonesty and called for consequences for their behavior: They have lied to the Australian people. This dishonesty should not be forgotten in our democracy by the Australian people… There should be repercussions for that sort of behavior.
The referendum, which required support from a majority of voters nationwide and a majority in at least four of the six states, failed to meet these criteria. The ballot paper posed the question: A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognize the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?
The outcome of this referendum is a setback for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who hoped that the proposed reforms would be a step towards achieving racial reconciliation. However, it underscores the challenges Australia faces in addressing deep-rooted racial and social inequalities and the ongoing struggles of Indigenous communities.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of this divisive referendum, all eyes will be on how Australia works to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, fostering reconciliation and addressing the persistent issues facing its First Nations people.
