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

    Why does an advisory body belong in the constitution?

      • WhirlybirdEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        Voting rights and an advisory body aren’t even remotely the same thing.

          • WhirlybirdEnglish
            1·
            1 year ago

            Why should it? Why do they need a constitutionally protected advisory board that’s not guaranteed to be gutted by the government of the day and has no power?

              • WhirlybirdEnglish
                1·
                1 year ago

                What they should have done is just gone for recognition in the constitution. No stupid toothless advisory board, just constitutional recognition. That would have passed.

                The voice tagging along is what killed the whole thing. We’re not “not ready to listen”, we’re just not wanting to put a powerless advisory board in the constitution. Labor can have an indigenous voice every time they’re in power, nothing is stopping them. If the liberals get rid of it then it’s just showing that they’d completely gut and ignore the constitutionally protected voice anyway.

                  • WhirlybirdEnglish
                    1·
                    1 year ago

                    So it’s not about recognition, but about actually doing something? A powerless advisory board doesn’t do anything. There are plenty of them already.