Canberra – In a concerning development, support for the inclusion of an Indigenous advisory panel in Australia’s constitution has continued to decline, according to a recent poll released on Monday. These findings place the groundbreaking proposal in jeopardy as the nation gears up for a crucial national vote scheduled for next month.
The latest survey, conducted for the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, revealed that voters have been steadily turning away from the concept of a “Voice to Parliament” for the past five months. The government is grappling with the challenge of convincing skeptical and undecided voters to back the proposition.
On October 14, 2023, Australians are set to participate in a critical referendum where they will be asked whether they endorse a constitutional amendment to establish an Indigenous committee tasked with advising the federal parliament.
For the proposed amendment to succeed, it must secure a majority of votes on a national level and also win a majority in at least four out of the six states. However, the survey findings indicate that only the island state of Tasmania currently supports the “Voice.”
Since the inception of Australian independence in 1901, only eight out of 44 proposals for constitutional amendments have gained approval. In the most recent survey, support for the Indigenous advisory panel has dwindled to 43%, down from 46% in August. Notably, voters in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia’s most populous states, have shifted their stance against the proposal.
The strongest opposition to the “Voice” can be found in Queensland and Western Australia, where 61% of respondents are poised to reject the concept.
In a noteworthy development, the poll also revealed a decline in approval ratings for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has invested substantial political capital in promoting the referendum. This marks the first time Albanese has fallen into negative territory since the May 2022 election.
The debate surrounding the referendum has sharply divided opinions. Supporters argue that the “Voice” will usher in progress for the Aboriginal community, acknowledge the rich 65,000-year-old Indigenous culture, and “unite the nation.” On the other hand, opponents contend that it would be divisive and confer excessive powers on the proposed body. Some critics have described it as mere tokenism devoid of real impact.
The Indigenous population, constituting approximately 3.2% of Australia’s nearly 26 million residents, endured marginalization under British colonial rule and remains conspicuously absent from the 122-year-old constitution.