A referendum was held on 14 October 2023, where Australians were asked whether they would like to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
As at 2023, there have been 45 nationwide referendums, with only 8 of which have been carried out. For a referendum to be successful, there needs to be a ‘double majority’ vote of ‘yes’ to the proposed change, meaning that at least 4 out of 6 states should have a majority of votes. The 2023 referendum saw that no state in Australia voted ‘yes’ for the Voice to pass, with more than 60% of Australians voting ‘no’ to the constitutional alteration. However, in remote Aboriginal communities, there was an overwhelming vote in favour of the Voice, with support being close to 90%.
Many Yes campaigners were devastated in this result, stating that the referendum loss was due to the abundant misinformed campaigning and the entrenched racism within our society.
PM Anthony Albanese said the failing of the referendum "is not the end of the road" for attempts to address the disadvantages facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
If you or someone you know wish to discuss this issue further, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 02 8999 9809.