Australians voted against a constitutional amendment in a referendum on Saturday that would have recognized Indigenous peoples and established an advisory body known as the "Voice" to Parliament.
Pre-election polls had predicted this result, which came as a disappointment to many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They had seen the referendum as an opportunity for Australia to move beyond its colonial past and make progress on Indigenous rights.
The proposed Voice was intended as a modest measure - it would have advised Parliament on issues affecting Indigenous communities but lacked any veto power.
However, the "No" campaign successfully raised doubts about potential consequences using the slogan "If you don't know, vote no." There were also claims that the Voice would be divisive, as well as targeted social media posts that were sometimes misleading.
The referendum outcome deals a political setback to the center-left Labor government and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. They had made the referendum a priority upon taking office last year.
Passing referendums is difficult in Australia, requiring not just a majority nationwide vote but also majority support in at least four of the six states. With New South Wales, Tasmania, and South Australia firmly opposed, television networks called the result against the Voice proposal before polls had even closed in some areas.
Initial polls had shown about two-thirds of Australians supported the concept of the Voice. But after performing poorly in 2022 elections, conservative leaders saw an opportunity to undermine Albanese's popularity by opposing the referendum. Some analysts see economic anxiety as another factor, given difficulties like housing affordability.
Indigenous Australians have sought greater rights for decades after suffering greatly under colonialism. Unlike in other British colonies, there has never been a treaty recognizing First Nations sovereignty. Closing socioeconomic gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians remains an ongoing challenge.