SYDNEY: Australia has a chance to fix its image as a global outlier by voting in favour of constitutionally recognising its Indigenous people, architects of the proposed change said.
Australians will be asked to vote in a referendum later this year on whether they support altering the constitution to include a "Voice to Parliament", an Indigenous committee that can advise the parliament on matters affecting its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people.
"I think most of the world is watching," Megan Davis, constitutional lawyer and Aboriginal woman who is leading the campaign for the change, told Reuters in an interview.
The Sami parliament in Scandinavia and Canada's significant constitutional recognition of its Indigenous people are all examples of how similar countries, meaning those which were settled by the British Crown, have used particular mechanisms to recognise First Nations people, Davis said.
"But Australia hasn't done anything. So we're an outlier in the world," said Davis, who is one of the architects of the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart, a document crafted by Aboriginal leaders that proposed the Voice to Parliament.
Aboriginal people, making up about 3.2% of Australia's near 26 million population, track below national averages on most socio-economic measures and are not mentioned in the constitution. They were not granted full voting rights until the 1960s.
Australia has no treaty with its Indigenous people, and has done little in comparison to other British dominions like Canada, New Zealand and the United States to include and uplift its First Nations people.
Davis has extensive experience as an international lawyer at the UN and also participated in the drafting of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
A successful referendum will set a precedent that will be "really useful for other indigenous populations around the world in relation to recognition," Davis said.
On Monday, Australia's Senate passed legislation that paved the way to hold the landmark referendum.
While a majority of Indigenous Australians back the change, support has been wavering at a national level, according to recent opinion polls.
The dip in the polls is driven by misinformation and falsehoods, Davis said, adding that the "Yes" campaign will talk to Australians to explain the facts.
"We have absolute faith in Australians understanding the exigency of this reform, why we need it, and we believe they'll come on board and vote yes," Davis said.
Groups opposing the change argue that it is a distraction from achieving practical outcomes for Indigenous people and divides Australians by race.
Getting constitutional change is difficult in Australia, as the government must secure a double majority, which means more than 50% voters nationwide, and a majority of voters in at least four of the six states must back the change.
In the past there have been 44 proposals for constitutional change in 19 referendums, and only eight of these have passed.
Pat Anderson, another Indigenous woman and campaign leader said this was the best political space Aboriginal Australians have been in since their struggle started over 200 years ago.
"We have spent all of our lives, whether young or old, fighting for this and fighting for that," Anderson said.
"Enough now. Let's settle this unfinished business between us and come to some arrangement which is conducive to a more mature and sophisticated society," said Anderson, known nationally and internationally as an advocate for the health of Indigenous Australians.
Reuters
Fri Jun 23 2023
A Kaurna elder, Uncle Moogy, performs a traditional smoking ceremony with spectators, in Adelaide, Australia. REUTERS/Filepic
'Made in Malaysia' - Apple punyai 19 kilang pembekal di negara ini
Malaysia merupakan salah satu negara yang mempunyai beberapa kilang pembekal yang menawarkan komponen kepada Apple.
SPRM lancar bilik gerakan PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu
SPRM melancarkan bilik gerakan, bagi membolehkan orang ramai menyalurkan maklumat serta aduan berkaitan perbuatan rasuah dan salah guna kuasa.
WEF anjur mesyuarat khas di Arab Saudi ketika suhu geopolitik Asia Barat memanas
WEF keluar dari kelazimannya dengan menganjurkan mesyuarat khas dua hari, 28-29 April 2024 di Riyadh, Arab Saudi.
Kerajaan rangka hala tuju beri lebih banyak perlindungan kepada kanak-kanak
Kerajaan akan merangka hala tuju bagi memberikan lebih banyak perlindungan dari segi undang-undang kepada kanak-kanak di negara ini.
Tiada tepung di pasaran tempatan mengandungi benzoil peroksida melebihi kadar dibenarkan - KKM
Tiada mana-mana jenama tepung di pasaran tempatan mengandungi benzoil peroksida melebihi paras yang dibenarkan di bawah undang-undang.
Freedom Flotilla to Gaza: Semua delegasi diminta pulang, FFC akan maklumkan tarikh baharu misi
Menurut Jawatankuasa Pemandu FFC, Ann Wright, pihaknya akan memaklumkan perkembangan terbaharu kepada semua delegasi terlibat sekiranya tarikh akhir pelayaran ditetapkan.
Bytedance enggan jual TikTok di Amerika Syarikat
BYTEDANCE kini mengatakan mereka tidak akan menjual perniagaan TikTok di Amerika Syarikat (AS).
Malaysia komited tingkat hubungan dua hala bersama Libya
Malaysia terus komited mempertingkatkan hubungan dua hala yang berterusan bersama Libya demi manfaat bersama dalam pelbagai sektor.
Cegah jenayah: Kerjasama komuniti kekang jenayah secara holistik
Jelasnya, program seumpama ini diharap dapat memberikan pendedahan tentang pencegahan jenayah dan menzahirkan aspirasi PDRM untuk penglibatan aktif warga komuniti dalam memerangi aktiviti jenayah.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Boon Lai tarik diri saat akhir
Hasrat Chng Boon Lai menjadi salah seorang calon Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kuala Kubu Baharu tidak kesampaian.
Piala Asia B-23: Indonesia ajar Australia cara main bola
Walaupun Australia mendominasi perlawanan pada separuh masa kedua, kehandalan benteng pertahanan Indonesia mudah mematahkan serangan demi serangan.
Paderi terkemuka Australia ditikam ketika 'live streaming'
Pemimpin gereja itu dilihat rebah ke lantai dan kedengaran suara jeritan para pengikutnya yang kemudiannya menerpa ke arahnya untuk membantunya.
Beratus dipindahkan susulan banjir di Australia
Perintah supaya berpindah dikekalkan di beberapa pekan selepas hujan lebat dan angin kencang yang menggemparkan komuniti di barat Sydney.
Lawatan rasmi ke Australia dan Jerman turut jana potensi jualan eksport produk Malaysia - PM Anwar
Lawatan rasmi ke Australia dan Jerman baru-baru ini, selain mendatangkan keberhasilan yang positif dengan potensi pelaburan, ia juga telah menjana potensi jualan eksport produk Malaysia.
KESUMA anjur forum, pameran kerjaya berasaskan pekerjaan hijau
Forum bertujuan menggalakkan perkembangan pekerjaan hijau selari dengan keperluan pembangunan ekonomi yang terangkum dan persekitaran mapan.
Kabinet bincang tawaran anjur Sukan Komanwel esok
Kerajaan akan memperincikan mengenai cadangan penganjuran sukan Komanwel 2026 dalam mesyuarat Jemaah Menteri, esok.
'Dua tahun tak cukup buat persiapan Sukan Komanwel'
Katanya, tempoh dua tahun merupakan satu masa yang singkat buat negara untuk membuat persiapan menganjurkan temasya besar tersebut.
Majoriti pelaburan diluluskan dalam sektor pembuatan disumbang pengembangan operasi sedia ada - Tengku Zafrul
Majoriti pelaburan diluluskan dalam sektor pembuatan tahun lepas disumbang daripada pengembangan operasi perniagaan sedia ada.
Lihat Malaysia sebagai pelaburan paling utama, destinasi modal - Anwar
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyeru komuniti pelaburan antarabangsa supaya melihat Malaysia sebagai pelaburan paling utama dan sebuah destinasi modal.
Malaysia, Australia jalin hubungan ekonomi lebih kukuh menerusi empat kerangka utama - Anwar
Anwar berkata hubungan ekonomi antara Australia dan Malaysia berkembang kukuh sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini berdasarkan kepentingan geoekonomi bersama dan usaha memakmurkan serantau.