Australia's Voice Referendum Exposes Hidden Agendas and Divides: Unveiling the True Priorities

Newly elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wasted no time in his victory speech in May 2022, announcing a significant upcoming vote for the nation. During his first term, he pledged to hold a referendum aimed at acknowledging Indigenous Australians in the constitution and establishing a perpetual entity, known as the Voice to Parliament, enabling direct communication with the government.

Albanese's words were met with cheers from his supporters, as he expressed that it is a point of pride for all of us to have the oldest living continuous culture in the world within our multicultural society. Looking ahead, Australians would be presented with a single question, and their response will shape a new era for Indigenous relations, centuries after the arrival of British settlers who forcibly occupied their land and inflicted fear upon their ancestors.

It would demonstrate a significant shift, indicating that Australia's First Nations people were finally being acknowledged and included in the country's founding document, after centuries of enduring oppressive settler laws. However, with just a week left before the final voting day, polls indicate a negative outcome. The proposed unifying moment now seems to have disintegrated amidst a confusing web of differing perspectives on deservingness.

"There is clearly a striking resemblance between what has happened in the United States and Britain regarding the Brexit referendum," mentioned Paul Strangio, a politics professor at Monash University.

"Those who harbor grievances about their position in the country are the ones mainly supporting the opposing view in the ongoing discussion."

Yes voters participate in a community event in Sydney, Sunday, July 2, 2023.

Bianca De Marchi/AAP Image/Reuters

An early rush of support

The Yes campaign requires majority support nationwide and in four out of six states for victory. It is unprecedented for any Australian referendum to pass without bipartisan political support, but after the ecstatic aftermath of Labor's election victory, it appeared that anything was achievable. Numerous early polls indicated strong backing for the Voice to Parliament. Corporations, celebrities, musicians, and sports organizations wasted no time in joining the cause - even Qantas, the national airline, agreed to display "Yes" on its aircraft. For a period, it appeared that the prime minister could effortlessly fulfill one of his electoral pledges.

But Strangio said the entry of big names into the campaign may have hardened some voters against the proposal.

A group of children at the Girls Dormitory in Cherbourg circa 1930.

Queensland Museum/Betty McKenzie Collection

The Australian community, which was formed based on racial segregation, is contemplating its future, regardless of whether or not they have a Voice.

Optimism arose among some individuals in favor of the Yes camp due to the support from celebrities and prominent organizations. However, this approach is often seen as counterproductive, as it tends to label them as elitist. Additionally, there is a sense of resentment towards being instructed on what to think or do.

According to a recent YouGov poll, which surveyed over 1,500 individuals, it was found that No voters tend to be over the age of 50, reside outside of inner-city areas, and have supported the Liberal-National Party coalition in the previous election. On the other hand, Yes voters are significantly younger, live within the inner-city, and have voted for either the Labor Party or Greens.

Paul Smith, the Director of Government and Social Australia at YouGov, suggests that the division between the younger and older generations in this referendum reveals a difference in their perspectives on the world. However, he also highlights that the overall polling results indicate a lack of engagement.

Indigenous people constitute a mere 3.8% of the total population, which amounts to approximately 800,000 individuals in a country with a population of 26 million. Consequently, there are some Australians who may not have personal acquaintances belonging to the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities. Moreover, the Indigenous population facing the greatest disadvantages is predominantly situated in remote communities located outside major urban areas.

The Voice was created to address the issues that largely go unnoticed by most voters, such as lower life expectancy, higher suicide rates, and increased imprisonment. According to Smith, our research indicates that people's primary concerns revolve around economic matters, such as wages and living standards.

Disinformation spreads

According to Axel Bruns, a professor at the Queensland University of Technology's Digital Media Research Centre, critics of Voice have successfully exploited fears of division, while the Yes campaign has struggled to promote the idea that the Voice will unite. Bruns mentioned that the No campaign has a well-organized network of public pages and groups that actively share YouTube videos, domains, and posts.

Prominent No campaigners, opposition politicians, and commentators from Sky News, a right-wing channel owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, are among the participants. According to Bruns, surveys indicate that No voters already perceive the country as divided, and the referendum provides them with a chance to express their existing concerns about what they perceive as "woke" politics, excessive government regulation, and even alleged secret agendas at the more conspiratorial side of the spectrum.

A volunteer wearing a 'Vote No' T-Shirt on October 02, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. On October 14, 2023.

Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Ceasar Dsa left the United Kingdom on June 23, 2016 - the day of the Brexit vote - because he disliked the racist undertones that emerged during the debate.

"He said that many racists revealed their true colors," DSa, a Portuguese national with mixed heritage, shared his search for a suitable place to raise his young family with his Polish wife, and Australia appeared to be an ideal choice.

DSa, an Australian citizen who recently joined the nation, describes it as a seemingly egalitarian Utopia where he could establish a promising future, despite his late arrival in life. While DSa advocates for recognizing First Nations people in the constitution, he opposes the inclusion of a Voice to Parliament. He disagrees with the belief, upheld by many Indigenous leaders, that this model endorsed by "inner city elites" will effectively address the issues faced by remote Indigenous communities.

"It is unequivocally a firm refusal from me," he stated. "I relocated to this place in search of a more prosperous life with my children, and I am vehemently opposed to any form of division."

"While individuals genuinely desire positive outcomes for our Indigenous brethren and fellow Australians, this attempt to seize power is not the solution," he expressed, referencing the Voice Advisory Group. If the referendum is successful, the structure of this group will be established by a collaborative parliamentary committee."

Race to the finish line

Its against these headwinds that Yes campaigners are desperately trying to rally votes before polls close on Saturday.

Noongar Yamitji individual, Daniel Morrison-Bird, has spent the last three months going door-to-door in Perth's suburban neighborhoods, attempting to persuade individuals to support the Yes campaign. While most encounters have been cordial, Morrison-Bird encountered a man at a polling station on Wednesday who inquired about his Indigenous heritage before making a derogatory remark.

"Youll be the first that Ive ever met up at this time," he recalled the man saying.

Daniel Morrison-Bird has been door-knocking for months in Perth, Western Australia to convince people to vote Yes.

Courtesy Wungening Aboriginal Corporation

Morrison-Bird has previously experienced a similar situation during Australia's plebiscite in 2017, which dealt with the issue of legalizing same-sex marriage. Although he recently got married to his partner, he believes that the current referendum, which involves discussing his Indigenous heritage in a public forum, is much more distressing.

"I have been expressing my belief that the situation will likely deteriorate as the day approaches. However, up until now, things have been going well," stated Morrison-Bird, CEO of the Wungening Aboriginal Corporation.

Not every Indigenous individual backs the vote - certain individuals argue that a feeble advisory body fails to adequately compensate for centuries of displacement. Their desired resolution is a national treaty, separate from the treaties currently being negotiated by individual states and territories.

Paula Gerber, an expert in Indigenous legal rights and human rights law at Monash University, asserts that for Indigenous Australians who back the Voice, voting against it will pose an exceedingly challenging task.

Thousands of people participate in the "Walk for Yes" rally in Melbourne on September 17, 2023. The event, held in various major cities, precedes a crucial referendum that may provide Indigenous Australians with a constitutionally protected "Voice to Parliament." (Photo by William WEST / AFP) (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

Referring to the 2017 vote on marriage equality, she mentioned that the calls to helplines and the demand for mental health support significantly rose, which can be considered a positive outcome.

Gerber said that instead of creating divisions within the country, the Voice represents an opportunity for Indigenous Australians to strengthen their connection.

"We have been living together on this island for hundreds of years, and now is the moment to elevate our bond to a higher level," she stated.

"It serves as a call to foster closer collaboration, embracing the act of actively listening and respecting the opinions of the significantly smaller party in this relationship, representing just 3.8% of the population. However, instead of bringing the nation together, Gerber noted that conversations surrounding the Voice have accentuated its divisions."

"Unfortunately, the debate in quotation marks has been very divisive, because it seems to have exposed a somewhat racist underbelly that most of the time we dont see."