With 78 per cent of the national vote counted – the Yes vote managing only 39 per cent nationwide,and all states on track to record No votes – the referendum toenshrine in the Constitution the advisory body on matters affecting Indigenous people has failed.
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The ACT was the only jurisdiction to vote Yes,with 61 per cent of ballots agreeing to the change. Victoria had the next highest Yes count at 46 per cent,while Melbourne recorded the highest Yes vote of any federal electorate (78.05 per cent).
Polling in the lead-up to the votesuggested Queensland,home to both federal Coalition leaders speaking out against the proposal and the official No campaign event on Saturday night,had the strongest opposition.
Despite the result,campaigners from boththe Yes andNo camps have declared work to deliver better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples would continue – with differing priorities.
What they said
In a statement on Sunday morning,Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the vote showed the Voice “wasn’t the right way” to improve the wellbeing of First Nations peoples,something she was confident all Australians agreed was needed.
“I acknowledge the strong feedback,” she said. “But that won’t stop our efforts to bring justice,reconciliation and material improvement to the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“The Australian people have spoken,and their voice tells me they’re not ready. Not yet. I respect that. They never get it wrong.”
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While she and her government supported the Voice,Palaszczuk had been critical of the federal government for not being clearer on how it would work.
Last month,the premier said her state’s focus – regardless of the referendum’s outcome – was on truth telling under its ownPath to Treaty program.
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