As prime minister Anthony Albanese pushes for the referendum in the wake of demonstrations, new research indicates that the vast majority of Australian First Nations people favor an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Eighty percent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents said they were “extremely sure” about their choice to support the Voice, according to a report released this week by the international market research firm IPSOS.
Eight out of ten respondents to the survey said they would vote in favor of the proposal in a referendum, while one in ten were undecided and the remaining respondents said they would vote against it.
“It’s obvious. First Nations people overwhelmingly favor having a voice and the opportunity to influence the laws and policies that affect us “Pat Anderson AO, an Alyawarre woman and co-chair of the Uluru Dialogue, remarked.
“One or two vociferous individuals, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, who claim to speak for First Nations too frequently drown out the voices of grass roots First Nations people.
“This is the reason why we require a Voice. to ensure that the First Nations People’s voices are heard in our communities.
“As we approach closer to the referendum, we want all Australians to not be influenced by the vocal few but to be comforted that when they cast a yes vote, they walk alongside the majority of First Nations People who desire a brighter future for our country,” the statement reads.
Between January 20 and 24, this year, the study polled Indigenous Australians from all throughout the nation.
It follows some outspoken protestors who, yesterday, during change-the-date protests on Australia Day, called for more than a “advisory body” and urged a no vote.
After countless consultations, “Indigenous people got together and said they wanted voice as the first thing,” Albanese added.
The Voice is a body enshrined in the Constitution that would give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the chance to advise Parliament on policies that affect their lives. It was championed by the Albanese government as a key issue in last year’s federal election.
“If people choose to support it, they will vote to recognize Indigenous Australians in our constitution and to consult with indigenous people on issues that concern them,” said the candidate.
Since 2012, hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, according to him, have been contacted.
It is not a radical idea, thus I am not shocked if some radicals disagree with it as it is a common idea.
The Voice has steadily gained popularity in recent years and will be the subject of the nation’s first referendum in about 20 years.
Senators Lidia Thorpe and Jacinta Price have both indicated ambivalence or hostility to the idea.
We deserve better than an advisory body because we are sovereign and this is our territory, added Thorpe.
