Canberra: Support for Australia’s proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament has fallen in a poll, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday there are no rising levels of alarm within the government about the prospects of success for the Voice referendum.
According to the latest survey from Newspoll, which was published by The Australian on Monday, 47 per cent of 2,303 voters interviewed online intend to vote “No” in the referendum on altering the constitution to establish the Voice compared to 43 per cent for “Yes”, reports Xinhua news agency.
It is the first major poll to find that more Australians in the survey are opposed to the proposal than supportive.
In order to be carried, a referendum to alter the constitution must achieve a double majority “Yes” vote of more than 50 per cent of voters nationally and majorities in at least four out of the six states.
Albanese said this is a proposition that has come from the grassroots that asked for recognition through a Voice by giving governments the opportunity to listen to First Nations people on matters that affect them.
If the referendum is successful, the Indigenous Voice would be established in the constitution as an independent body to advise the parliament on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“I think that as Australians focus on what is before the Australian people in the last quarter of this year, recognition and listening, all upside, no downside for this proposal,” the PM told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. And we will be saying to Australians, if not now, when will we recognise Indigenous Australians in our Constitution? I am confident that a majority of Australians will vote yes.”
(IANS)
