Australian referendum to create an Indigenous Voice to Parliament fails

Australia has rejected a proposal to recognise its Aboriginal people in the constitution and form a body to advise Parliament on policies concerning their issues.

Preliminary results from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) suggest that most of the country’s 17.6 million registered voters voted “no”, striking down the first effort at constitutional change in 24 years.

The Opponents of the Voice to Parliament referendum believe it would have divided Australians along racial lines. However, its supporters argued the proposal to amend the 122-year-old constitution would have acknowledged the special place of Indigenous people in Australian history, while giving them a voice in government policies.