Voice to parliament referendum fails in defeat that Indigenous advocates will see as a blow to progress towards reconciliation

Australians have resoundingly rejected a proposal to recognise Aboriginal people in its constitution and establish a body to advise parliament on Indigenous issues.

Saturday’s voice to parliament referendum failed, with the defeat clear shortly after polls closed.

  • WhirlybirdEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    So the No side’s campaign was one of deliberately not educating people?

    No, but that’s what people are trying to pretend. The “if you don’t know, vote no” slogan is also about when people are trying to find details on what this advisory body would look like and are being told “oh we’re not going to tell you that, don’t worry about it, just trust us”. If you don’t know what the body will look like because they won’t tell you, why would you vote yes?

    • SeaJ@lemm.eeEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      It sounds like that was something that would need to have been fleshed out in legislation since the amendment only specified that an advisory body would be created. It’s only advisory and has no legislative power. Does it matter much what it might be made up of? From reading it sounds like it would be less than 100 people nationally. Seems a bit ridiculous to vote no on something like that.