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Why did the 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum fail?

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Aboriginal people of Galiwnku Island in Australia — Australian Aboriginal peoples Aboriginal people from Galiwnku Island gathering to watch the proceedings at which Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologized to the Aboriginal peoples of Australia for their mistreatment under earlier Australian governments, February 2008.

The 2023 referendum on the Voice to Parliament was a proposal to amend the Australian Constitution to formally recognize Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to establish an advisory body to represent them on government policies.12

The referendum failed in October 2023 after approximately 60 percent of participants voted against the proposal, failing to secure a majority in any of the six states. While supporters viewed the initiative as a vital step toward reconciliation, opponents—primarily conservatives—argued that the proposed body was unnecessary and lacked sufficient detail regarding its implementation and function. The outcome was a significant defeat for the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and a major setback for Indigenous Australians who had advocated for the change.12