Anger, sorrow as Indigenous Australians weigh referendum defeat

While the vast majority of Aboriginal Australians supported the referendum, some opposed it as a token measure that would not drive meaningful change.

There is absolutely zero proof that the "vast majority" of indigenous Aussies supported this referendum. If anyone can demonstrate this, I'd love to see it.

Exit polls indicated 59% support at most - and the fact that it was soundly defeated in all the seats with large Aboriginal populations - and the NT - is telling.

Many indigenous elders and famous leaders - from Mundine to Price to Thorpe - campaigned vocally against the Voice.

to recognize the country's first inhabitants

What the HELL does that even mean in practical terms???

Congratulations to everyone who worked tirelessly to ensure Australia got the correct result. For those who voted No, you are the ones who have restored dignity to this debacle.

Great work (not) to Anthony Albanese, who has created a massive DIVIDE amongst Australians. Regardless of the way the vote went, no one would actually win. Albo should consider resigning to take responsibility for this massive stuff up of his manufacture.

Now to move forward and call for an audit of the $4.5 billion money pit, stop the rorts and let the Aboriginal people have the outcomes they deserve - better health, education and living standards.

Australians overwhelmingly support and recognize our indigenous, but we also need them to be treated equally. We did not want to see in our constitution 3% of the population having rights - based on race - that 97% of the population does not have. We looked at both sides and decided that division is exactly what was NOT needed in democratic Australia.

@Jay

Australians overwhelmingly support and recognize our indigenous, but we also need them to be treated equally.

Yes, exactly. Which is why the brutality they suffer at the hands of police and the "justice" system needs to be addressed. See communist pinko, tree-hugging, vax-loving Amnesty International analysis below:

https://www.amnesty.org.au/campaigns/indigenous-justice/?cn=trd&mc=click&pli=23501504&PluID=0&ord=%7Btimestamp%7D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6KTlgJn3gQMVLsVMAh3NtwXlEAAYAiAAEgJx0PD_BwE

Also, they would actually quite prefer not to have their sacred sites blown up by mining companies. So if your definition of the meaningless word "woke" = seeing problems where there are none (because everything's just fine and dandy with the happy as Larry aborigines) then I most certainly am not "woke", because clearly there ARE BIG PROBLEMS.

The next seven days is sorry time for respect reflection and healing to all tribes thanks.

The Yes campaign really must take full responsibility for a poorly managed strategy, that failed to fully detail what the referendum, the voice actually meant to achieve.

To quote

"Offering almost no detail on The Voice to object to, no composition, no numbers, no budget. nothing tangible, you don’t even know what you’re voting for, and it’s permanent"

The bottom line is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, his yes campaign manager Dean Parkin failed to make/present a sound solid case for change.

When the difficult searching questions were asked, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Dean Parkin, prominent Aboriginal activist and scholar Marcia Langton resorted to race baiting, public personal accusations of racism for even questioning the logic or how the referendum would achieve or deliver Indigenous recognition. Even downright bullying.

Maybe a positive conclusion result is a more meaningful "soul searching" can begin.

Anger, sorrow as Indigenous Australians weigh referendum defeat.

As more than 60% voted no, there was obviously more joy than sorrow, so why wasn't this the headline?

A sad day for the nations first inhabitants. The idea for a voice to government was put forward by indigenous leaders in 2017, who agreed it was necessary for first nations people to really be taken seriously and heard. As a minority in their own lands it is a shame others were unable to see through the fear and lies spouted by the no vote campaign who simply wish to brush the concerns of indigenous peoples under the rug.

The persecution, inequity and poor treatment will undoubtedly continue into the future.

Perhaps one day true equality will happen, just not today.

In a country where voting is required, to have 60% plus of the population, and every state in the nation, vote resoundingly NO to this rash, divisive, and poorly-thought out change to the constitution seems like a resounding VOICE not of "sorrow", but of unity and unison, no?

Funny how the spin is always, always, on the "left" foot, isn't it? Gee, I wonder why? It wouldn't be the "media" pushing narratives, or instructing the country how they must vote, feel, or react, would it? Nah...lol.

Well done, Australia. "Reconciliation" does NOT need to be rammed down all and sundry's throats by the legal compulsion.

They also restrict the majority of inhabitants and foreign visitors from visiting the Ururu, formerly called Ayer's rock. What do they complain now when also barred from something they wanted access to?

Isn't this the same country that refused to help boat people in distress threatened with drowning, the same country of the "One Nation" party, and of reported considerable racism against racial minorities? I had thought that my native Canada removing statues of our first Prime Minister so as to make our First Nations feel more comfortable was going too far, as I had respected Sir John A. Macdonald starting our country by peaceful means. Now, I'm starting to feel like maybe my native country has been doing the right thing, among other reconciliatory initiatives.

Isn't this the same country that refused to help boat people in distress threatened with drowning, the same country of the "One Nation" party, and of reported considerable racism against racial minorities? I had thought that my native Canada removing statues of our first Prime Minister so as to make our First Nations feel more comfortable was going too far, as I had respected Sir John A. Macdonald starting our country by peaceful means. Now, I'm starting to feel like maybe my native country has been doing the right thing, among other reconciliatory initiatives.

Thank you for sharing, but the cautionary tale of present-day Canada perhaps served as an effective blueprint for voters on which direction NOT to take.

As more than 60% voted no, there was obviously more joy than sorrow, so why wasn't this the headline?

Because they weren’t fighting for anything.

Joy from who? Nobody should be joyous about this situation.

Funny how the spin is always, always, on the "left" foot, isn't it? Gee, I wonder why? It wouldn't be the "media" pushing narratives, or instructing the country how they must vote, feel, or react, would it? Nah...lol.

If the referendum had gone the other way I have a feeling you would be digging deeper into conspiracies more ludicrous than your premise that the ‘media’ is ‘always, always’ left.

First Things First!

Second : Australia Steals YOUR Land!!

Third : Australia says, This is NOT your land!!*

Fourth : Australia says, THIS OUR LAND!!!

Fifth : Has Australia NO shame before the World?

Sixth : YES! Australia has NO SHAME BEFORE THE WORLD!!!!

Stephen ChinToday 06:17 pm JST

Second : Australia Steals YOUR Land!!

Wrong! Australia was not born until 1901, you accuse the wrong people!

Third : Australia says, This is NOT your land!!*

Australia says this is belongs to ALL Australian's, old and new.

Fourth : Australia says, THIS OUR LAND!!!

It IS Australia's land.

Fifth : Has Australia NO shame before the World?

Indeed we do not. we have little to be ashamed of!! Not like other nations.

Sixth : YES! Australia has NO SHAME BEFORE THE WORLD!!!!

No, It doesn't, nor should it. It is not China after all, which bears so much shame it cant all be listed!!!

Calm, happiness and relief for the majority, including many, many, unity minded, indigenous Australians.

Good riddance to a bad idea.

@Fighto

There is absolutely zero proof that the "vast majority" of indigenous Aussies supported this referendum. If anyone can demonstrate this, I'd love to see it.

Regions with a high proportion of Indigenous Australians overwhelmingly voted yes in the referendum – including the community where prominent no campaigner Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s family is from.

The yes vote in polling catchments where Indigenous Australians formed more than 50% of the population was, on average, 63% in favour of enshrining an Indigenous voice to parliament, according to political analyst Simon Jackman, who estimated the proportion of Indigenous Australians at each polling area based on data from the 2022 election.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/15/indigenous-communities-overwhelmingly-voted-yes-to-australias-voice-to-parliament

You're welcome.

Until next time when a better plan is devised for giving more power to the Aboriginal voice and no excuses to racists in disguise, the fight for a better future for the indigenous minority must continue.

You just have to look at the top 5 seats in Australia which have majority indigenous Australian populations to see what many were feeling.

Lingiari Northern Territory (who currently has an indigenous MP representing them) - 58% NO

Durack Western Australia - 73% NO

Leichhardt Queensland - 67% NO

Parks New South Wales - 79% NO

Kennedy Queensland - 81% NO

https://www.aec.gov.au/

You're welcome

The yes vote in polling catchments where Indigenous Australians formed more than 50% of the population was, on average, 63% in favour of enshrining an Indigenous voice to parliament

Since when has 63% been a "vast majority"?

Indigenous Aussies across the nation - most of whom live in the suburbs of big cities - were divided on this referendum. As much as people on here refuse to accept this fact.

It’s both interesting and annoying that this article starts with a statement of how indigenous Australians are angry about the result. The majority of the ‘first Australians’ didn’t want the referendum to succeed. It would have divided Australia creating an us and them constitution.

By the way, I was born in Australia which also makes me indigenous to Australia. The first Australians are indigenous to Africa. Get it right!

63% is a huge majority in electoral terms.

Example: The 1984 United States presidential election.

"Incumbent Republican president Ronald Reagan defeated Democratic former vice president Walter Mondale in a landslide victory." (Wikipedia) Percentage of the popular vote to Reagan? 58.8%

The majority of the ‘first Australians’ didn’t want the referendum to succeed.

Ha ha ha. Go ahead. Feel free to say whatever you like as if it were a fact. Only it isn't...

@ Blackstar -

Refer to Kaowaiinekochanknaws post for the facts.

The top 5 indigenous seats all voted NO.

There was no indigenous landslide. They were deeply divided on this referendum.

Can you please explain what happened to the much vaunted "80 percent Aboriginal support"? We'll be waiting...

Sven AsaiToday 05:19 pm JST

They also restrict the majority of inhabitants and foreign visitors from visiting the Ururu, formerly called Ayer's rock. What do they complain now when also barred from something they wanted access to?

The ORIGINAL name is Uluru NOT Ayers Rock. An appalling lack of respect for indigenous culture, lifestyle and traditions is something the Euro types possess in great supply and have displayed all over the world the past 5 centuries. I feel sorry for the Aboriginals as they've been trampled upon for a long time. Most of their land was stolen from them but now the country is worried about "land seizures." Sheer irony.

Some posters are unaware of the history of Australia. Consider this: aborigines did not have the right to vote in Australian elections until the 1960s. Is that fair in a country that values equality?

Refer to Kaowaiinekochanknaws post for the facts.

The top 5 indigenous seats all voted NO.

There was no indigenous landslide. They were deeply divided on this referendum.

So says Kaowaiinekochanknaw. Only trouble is Kaowaiinekochanknaw is full of you know what. He's tried one of the old disinformation-lover's favourite tricks: throw out an official looking URL and hope people don't bother to check.

Well, https://www.aec.gov.au/ is indeed the Electoral Commission's homepage. From there, there are links you can click on for info about percentages from various seats, but nothing I can find that fits with his supposed "Top 5 indigenous seats" claim. If you have any verifiable evidence (which I doubt), provide a correct link!

Some posters are unaware of the history of Australia. Consider this: aborigines did not have the right to vote in Australian elections until the 1960s. Is that fair in a country that values equality?

But they do now right? so don't really get the point, I'm sure they have all the same rights like any other Australian? I of course understand that even now certain communities/races might be born at a disadvantage and countries absolutely needs to work to help those communities and end those loops. Creating some kind of law/rule based on ancestry/race will just boost racism and division, solve problems without putting people into groups. Sounds like most things they want to do is perfectly doable without creating this division.

They like to quote the "they have been here for 60 000 years" etc, but people just live their own life, you haven't lived the lives of your ancestors. I do of course understand that due to how you look your experience in life might be very different to others, but people really needs to stop talking about the struggles of people hundreds of years ago as if it was their own, you only live your own life not your ancestors.

Indigenous "no" campaigner Warren Mundine told national broadcaster ABC on Sunday he was thankful the referendum had failed.

Even the indigenous people themselves are divided, this is far from the "us" and "them" vote it is being painted as.

It seems that whenever a left wing policy is opposed, it is down to misinformation on the net, that should therefore be silenced with state regulation and censorship.

Why does the left wing feel the need to create a fake justification, to behave as badly as the right, censoring and silencing criticism? So they can feel morally superior to the right, when doing the same thing?