AFPE A demonstration of proponents in Sydney
NOS Nieuws•gisteren, 21:25
Meike Wijers
Australia correspondent
Meike Wijers
Australia correspondent
This weekend in Australia marks the first referendum in more than twenty years. A proposed constitutional amendment to recognize the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the country’s original inhabitants will be voted on on Saturday. Supporters and opponents have been waging a fierce campaign for months.
With the referendum, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (Labor Party) is fulfilling an election promise. When he won the elections in May 2022, he promised to hold a referendum during his first term to enshrine a role for indigenous people in the constitution.
It is a risk for the prime minister who was extremely popular when he took office. According to the latest polls, about 56 percent of the population will vote against the proposal.
That is why advocates have pulled out all the stops in recent weeks. The hit You’re the Voice by John Farnham from the 1980s is the anthem for the yes campaign:
More than 30,000 volunteers are involved in the yes campaign. Karla Dunbar sacrifices her weekends for it. “Many people are afraid of such a major change and do not really understand what such a constitutional amendment entails. That is why I want to talk to them so that they can make a well-informed decision.”
Volunteers gather on the beach in the north of Sydney to go door to door in pairs. Jon Stephens is involved in a political campaign for the first time. “I have been aware for a long time of the disadvantaged position that the indigenous population has in this country. I want to contribute to a change, to be part of the movement that makes our country more equal,” he says.
Inequality
The gap between Indigenous people and other Australians is enormous. This group is doing worse in many areas, such as health, education, work and income. Indigenous Australians live an average of nine years shorter, suicide is more than twice as common and the group is over-represented in prisons.
This inequality has its origins in the colonial past, says activist Thomas Mayo. He is a prominent leader of the yes campaign. “With the colonization of our country, we were exterminated, forced to assimilate and children were taken from their parents.”
Who are the original inhabitants of Australia?
The indigenous population of Australia consists of two groups: Aboriginal people and the indigenous people of the Torres Strait archipelago. These islands are located between northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The indigenous population is divided into hundreds of tribes where more than 250 different languages are spoken. In total, almost a million people are of indigenous descent, approximately 3.8 percent of the Australian population.
‘The Stem’
In the referendum, Australians will also vote on the establishment of a parliamentary advisory committee to give the indigenous population a voice, but what exactly this should look like is unclear. It is certain that the committee has no voting or veto rights.
Because ‘the Voice’ is enshrined in the constitution, the committee cannot be cut back by future governments. “If this proposal is adopted, parliament can decide on the details. That’s how it should be in a democracy,” Mayo said.
But the lack of details is grist to the mill for opponents. “If you don’t know what ‘the Vote’ means, vote against” is a frequently used campaign slogan of the opposition parties. There is a warning about the power that the advisory committee would have. The opposition also states that it causes more inequality in society, because one group receives special treatment.
“We don’t know what exactly that ‘Vote’ means, and what the committee will do,” says Teddy. The 24-year-old construction worker has therefore decided to vote ‘no’. “Giving this group so much power just doesn’t seem like a good idea to me.”
Misinformation
The spread of misinformation further contributes to uncertainty among voters. Fear is being spread, especially on social media, about the possible power of the advisory committee. It could requisition property or land, or indiscriminately collect rent from people living on former indigenous territory.
Deliberate lies, says Kurt Sengul, a lecturer at the University of Sydney, to The New York Times. He has specialized in the field of far-right populist movements in Australia. “During this campaign, lies and conspiracy theories have become mainstream in Australia,” he said. “It’s the first Trump-style disinformation campaign. That’s not a good sign for democracy.”
Preliminary polls point to defeat for the proposal. About three million Australians have already cast their votes early. Saturday is election day. A result is not expected until Saturday evening at the earliest.
2023-10-12 19:25:15
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