Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Australia PM unveils key proposal for constitution vote

Australia PM unveils key proposal for constitution vote

Australia's leader has unveiled crucial details of a planned referendum which could see it change its constitution for the first time in almost 50 years.
If approved, the vote later this year would establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice - a formal body for Indigenous people to give advice on laws.

PM Anthony Albanese argues it would be a "very simple" but "momentous" change.

Constitutional referendums are fairly rare - only eight of 44 have succeeded.

The Voice is being fiercely debated with support and opposition across the political spectrum.

The Voice was recommended by a historic document in 2017 called the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Drafted by more than 250 Indigenous leaders, the statement is considered the best - though not unanimous - call to action for reforms which affect First Nations Australians.

On Thursday, Albanese announced the proposed wording for a question to be put to Australians in a compulsory vote.

"A proposed law to alter the constitution to recognize the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?"

Albanese said the proposal would enshrine "recognition" that Australians "share this great island continent with the world's oldest continuous culture".

"Our nation's birth certificate should recognise this and be proud of it," he added.

The proposal, still to be debated in parliament, states the Voice will "make representations" to MPs and policy makers "on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples".

However, parliament would have the power to decide on the Voice's composition, functions, powers and procedures.

Indigenous Australians feel a "powerlessness" when tackling structural problems to improve their lives, the Uluru Statement says.

These problems include having a shorter life expectancy than non-Indigenous Australians, disproportionately poorer health and education outcomes, and higher incarceration rates.

Many argue this is often because of a failure to properly consult Indigenous people on solutions.

"Non-Indigenous people [are] making decisions about communities they have never visited and people they do not know," wrote Prof Megan Davis, an Uluru Statement signatory.

Some argue Indigenous people are already represented fairly in parliament. It currently has 11 Indigenous lawmakers - representing 4.8% of the parliament, a slightly higher percentage than the Indigenous Australian population nationwide.

But Voice supporters counter that MPs represent specific constituencies, not necessarily Indigenous interests.

Other critics say it could act like a third chamber of parliament and potentially veto legislation, but the government has ruled this out.

Support is not universal among Indigenous people, either. Some say a treaty with Indigenous people - a legally binding, negotiated agreement - should be the priority. Australia is one of the only ex-British colonies without one.

Many Indigenous Australians emphasise they never ceded their sovereignty or land. There are fears that being recognised in the constitution could amount to that.

And others argue it's just a symbolic gesture and that money could be better spent on immediate solutions.

That's not yet certain. If Australia votes yes, legislation designing the Voice will then be developed and debated.

One proposal suggests the advisory body could have 24 members - comprised of representatives from each state and territory, the Torres Strait Islands, and remote Aboriginal communities.

Albanese sees the Voice being "an unflinching source of advice and accountability".

Voice advocates compare it to the First Nations parliaments in Norway, Sweden and Finland for the Sami people.

They're not parliaments in the traditional sense - they are mostly consultative bodies which do not have a formal legislative function.

In Finland, for example, the government negotiates with the Sami Parliament on specific matters like land management and legislative or administrative changes affecting Sami culture.

However, Finnish laws don't prevent government authorities from forging ahead without negotiations.

Advocates say the Voice needs to be enshrined in the constitution rather than legislated. Such a change cannot happen without a referendum.

They argue this would give the Voice permanency, insulating it from partisan politics.

For it to succeed, a majority of Australians need to vote yes. There also needs to be majority support in at least four of Australia's six states.

Polling has shown about three quarters of Australians support a constitutionally enshrined Voice.

The proposal has even won the support of US basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, who will appear in promotional material.

But the result is far from assured - the last successful referendum was in 1977.

The conservative Liberal Party has previously opposed the Voice, but now says its MPs will vote to decide its position. Its junior coalition partner, the Nationals, oppose the reform.

The Greens party will support the Voice. But its previous Indigenous Affairs spokesperson, Lidia Thorpe, recently left the party over its position - she is advocating for a treaty first.

Parliament is expected to hold a vote on the proposal in June. If approved, the referendum will happen sometime after September.

If a Voice is established, the Uluru Statement calls for a Makarrata commission - a body to supervise a process of treaty-making and truth-telling about the history of Indigenous Australians.

Implementing a Voice is also seen as likely to create further impetus for an Australian republic. Mr Albanese has already indicated a referendum on the issue is likely if he wins a second term in 2025.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
×