Members of the ‘Muvmen Red’ rally in Port Vila, Vanuatu, holding a banner that reads ‘Voes Blong Yumi: Stopem Instabiliti Tede’ (Our Voice: Stop Instability Today).
Voes Blong Yumi/Facebook
From a lack of bipartisan support to other concerns such as rising cost of living, a complex array of reasons contributed to the Voice referendum’s failure in October 2023.
The Northern Territory’s Indigenous population predominantly voted ‘Yes’ to a Voice to Parliament. Despite the referendum’s ‘No’ outcome, the Northern Territory is making moves to self determination.
Chad’s Mahamat Idriss Deby (C), cast his vote during the referendum in N'Djamena, on 17 December 2023.
Denis Sassou Gueipeur /AFP/via Getty Images
The result was definitive, a major rebuff for Anthony Albanese and, more important, for the many Indigenous Australians who had put their hopes in what was always a long shot.
The ‘no’ vote defeating the referendum is just one part of a long political journey for First Nations people. What went wrong for the ‘yes’ campaign, and where does Australia go from here?
What we are already hearing today from those leading the “no” campaign is an echo chamber of Trumpist sentiments for his supporters and acolytes in Australia.
The last time the country voted in a referendum on Indigenous affairs was in 1967. Advocates for the ‘Voice to Parliament’ say it is the best way to remedy a long legacy of failed policies.
Screenshot from Yes23 ad advocating for the “yes” campaign.
YouTube
A ‘mini-public’ of regular citizens has been proven to be an effective way of translating complex policies to the general public in an accessible, trustworthy way.
Abortion-rights demonstrators protest in front of the Supreme Court building on June 25, 2022, a day after the announcement of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images News via Getty Images
In the year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, giving decisions about the legality of abortion back to states, voters and state legislatures have made their preferences on abortion clear.
Senator Jacinta Price and former politician Warren Mundine have recently faced criticism for disinformation.
AAP Image/Lukas Coch
As the referendum date approaches, campaigns may use misinformation to spark emotions in people to get them to vote a certain way. Here are some ways to spot dishonest claims and misinformation.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University