A march for Yes in Melbourne, September 17, 2023. WILLIAM WEST / AFP
They took to the streets to defend a historic reform of indigenous rights that will be the subject of a referendum on October 14. Thousands of people took part in Walk for Yes demonstrations in several major cities across Australia on Sunday September 17, ahead of this vote, which could give Indigenous Australians the constitutional right to be consulted on policies affecting them become.
More than two hundred years after British colonization, Aboriginal people – whose ancestors have lived on the continent for around 60,000 years – have lower life expectancies and lower levels of education than other Australians and are significantly more likely to die in prison.
“I think we need a voice in Parliament, it’s about time,” said Laurel Johnson, a 58-year-old retiree who works in Indigenous community services and joined the hundreds of people who attended the rally in Sydney. Cameron Lum, 34, said he attended the rally in Sydney to support “long overdue change in this country.” “I think this sets the stage for massive Indigenous-led political change,” he said.
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Compulsory voting
Yes supporters also gathered in Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart and Alice Springs. They say this iconic reform project from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left government, if adopted, would help address these inequalities.
However, recent polls show that around 60% of voters oppose the reform, a near reversal from last year. Opponents of the proposal say it would grant special privileges to indigenous people while creating unnecessary bureaucracy. They regret the lack of details on the reform that Parliament would develop if the yes vote prevails.
To pass, the reform must receive a majority in the referendum across Australia, but also a majority in at least four of the six states. Voting is compulsory and non-voters without a valid reason face a fine of 20 Australian dollars.