Australia’s First Nations Vote Is Coming Down to Love Against War

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For First Nations people in Australia, this week’s vote on our recognition in the constitution is starting to feel like a choice between love and war.

The debate on this landmark referendum has intensified, and the polarization between the hard “Yes” and “No” cases means that 28% of Australians are still yet to decide how they will vote.

Many First Nations people are grappling with the fact that our fate in this country’s democracy will come down to the decision by those Australians who have never met an Indigenous person. According to the nonprofit Reconciliation Australia, only 17% of the population have socialized with First Nations people in the past year. It means most citizens only understand Indigenous issues through mainstream media, which is rife with stereotypes, racism and hostile headlines that draw battle lines rather than build bridges.

Most attention has focused on the downward trend in support since March 2023, which coincides with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton taking a formal position against the referendum. This effectively wrecked any chance of bipartisan support for the process, which aims to guarantee a representative Voice for First Nations people to advise the government on policies affecting our communities. The coalition’s hard right-wing, Trump-like politics have incited a tidal wave of racism, while also attempting to capitalize on the referendum for its own political gain. They’ve relied on the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation to confuse voters with the campaign tagline: If You Don’t Know, Vote No.

It is lazy politics — and a disservice to our democracy — when those elected by the people fail to do their jobs or act in good faith when it comes to Indigenous affairs. The pending uncertainty around the result to be decided on Oct. 14 highlights how status quo party politics is detrimental for the well-being of Indigenous people. How can we progress reconciliation when our call to be heard by establishing a First Nations Voice in the constitution is considered so controversial?

On Oct. 3, the United Nations urged Australian authorities to treat the Voice referendum as a first step towards the full implementation of the Uluru Statement and the UN declaration of the Rights of Indigenous peoples. It emphasized “the fulfillment of Indigenous Peoples’ right to Indigenous-led institutions should not be presented as a cost or unjustified privilege, but rather as a matter of fundamental human rights and justice for historical wrongs.”

Only eight of 44 referendums have ever passed in Australia. That requires a double majority; it must be approved by more than 50% of the 18 million eligible voters from all states and territories, and more than 50% of voters in a majority of states (at least four of the six states) to succeed. This is no small feat for us as First Nations peoples, who account for approximately 3% of the total population. 

What is not captured in the mainstream is the steady rise in support among local Indigenous community advocates who were hard “No” supporters when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the date for the Voice referendum in August, but are now switching to a hard “Yes.” Why have they shifted? Because they realize the failure of this vote would give license to ongoing racism, stall progress on a treaty with First Nations people and offer no solution to tackle the entrenched disadvantage faced by communities. These Indigenous leaders who have switched sides are influential at mobilizing the grassroots, which is where this referendum will be won or lost — among the 28% of undecided voters.

Unlike state and federal elections, where Australians typically vote on their individual concerns, this requires citizens to vote in the national interest to formally recognize the rightful place of First Nations people in our country. The “Yes” campaign says a vote in favor would be an act of love that will bring the country together. The “No” side claims the referendum is divisive, a misrepresentation of history and akin to a declaration of war on modern Australia.

As a lawyer in this process, which began in 2017 with the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s invitation for Australians to join Indigenous people in their quest for justice, I have witnessed genuine goodwill among those who want to rectify our past and improve outcomes for Indigenous Australians. Yet there is a disturbing lack of awareness about how systemic racism impacts on the daily lives of Aboriginal people. We are the most incarcerated peoples in the world, jailed at a rate 16-times higher than non-Indigenous Australians. The status quo is not working, and attempts by successive governments to close the gap in education, jobs, and health outcomes between Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples have made little progress. 

Australia was founded as a federation in 1901 without formal recognition of this continent’s Indigenous peoples, despite the fact we are the oldest continuing culture on the planet. Archaeological evidence indicates we have been here for at least 65,000 to 80,000 years. The history of denial runs deep in the nation’s psyche. While most citizens view themselves as easygoing, this has never been the land of a fair go for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, which will be news to the millions of tourists who flock Down Under to witness the wisdom of First Nations people and our ancient connection to this land.

Ultimately, it will be the citizens of Australia, not the polls, who will decide the fate of the referendum — and given the uncertainty of almost one third of electors, it could swing either way. As a proud Wiradjuri and Wailwan woman, I am voting “Yes” for hope and unity.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

• A First Nations Reckoning Is Rising in Australia: Teela Reid

• Where It’s Most Dangerous to Be Black in America: Justin Fox

• Rupert Murdoch’s Arrogant Farewell Says It All: A.J. Bauer

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Teela Reid is a senior solicitor practicing in Aboriginal Land Rights litigation and is the current practitioner-in-residence at Sydney Law School. She is a campaigner for the Uluru Statement from the Heart and a member of one of the working groups for the Voice to Parliament referendum.

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