Advocates for change are blaming misinformation for the loss of the national referendum on establishing an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in Australia. The ongoing counts indicate that nearly 60 percent of voters have opposed the proposed amendment to the Constitution. For a successful referendum, a majority of the eligible population and a majority of states need to support the proposal. However, all states have declared “No” to The Voice, with the “Yes” vote unlikely to catch up. The proposal involved creating a permanent advisory body that would make representations to the executive and legislature on matters relevant to Indigenous people. It would also change the wording of the Constitution’s preamble to include recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
As of now, 59 percent of Australians have rejected The Voice, while 41 percent have supported it. In New South Wales, 58.5 percent of citizens voted No, and in Victoria, the No vote is at 53.7 percent. Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory have also seen majorities voting No. Western Australia, the last state to start counting, currently has a strong No vote at 59.8 percent. Only the Australian Capital Territory showed strong support for the Yes vote.
Proponents of The Voice blame the opposing campaign for spreading misinformation and confusing the public. The Yes campaign accuses the No advocates of conducting a “Trumpian campaign of misinformation.” While the prime minister and opposition leader have different takes on the result, both agree that the focus should now shift to addressing the country’s challenges. The No campaign has raised concerns about the lack of details regarding how The Voice would operate and the potential difficulty of removing it if it proves ineffective. They argue that existing government bodies and lobby groups have struggled to address the issues faced by Indigenous Australians.
The Yes campaign received support from prominent individuals, including former prime ministers, sports stars, and entertainers, as well as major organizations and companies. Supporters believed that The Voice was necessary for improving outcomes in areas such as health, education, employment, and housing for Indigenous Australians. On the other hand, notable figures supporting the No vote included former prime ministers, media personalities, Indigenous leaders, and business executives.