By Praveen Menon
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The Australian government on Thursday took the first formal step towards a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution and set up an Indigenous “Voice to Parliament” to advise lawmakers on matters that impact their lives.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who represent about 3.2% of Australia’s nearly 26 million people, are not mentioned in the constitution.
Here are five things to know about the referendum:
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has proposed adding an additional chapter to the constitution. The new chapter will read as follows:
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
WHAT IS THE PROPOSED REFERENDUM QUESTION?
Albanese said last week the referendum question would be: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?”
HOW DOES THE REFERENDUM WORK?
The government on Thursday introduced a bill in parliament outlining the proposed changes to the constitution.
This will be scrutinised by a parliamentary committee.
Once approved in parliament, it will be sent to the governor general, the representative of head of state King Charles, who issues a writ for a referendum.
The government plans to hold the referendum between October and December.
HOW MANY VOTES ARE NEEDED?
To change the constitution, the government must secure what is known as a double majority in the referendum.
That means more than 50% of voters must vote in favour nationally, plus a majority of voters in a majority of the states must back the change.
Votes of people living in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Northern Territory regions, and any of Australia’s external territories, count towards the national majority only.
Poll turnout will be high as voting is compulsory.
HOW HAVE PAST REFERENDUMS FARED?
There have been 44 proposals for constitutional change in 19 referendums, and only eight of these proposals have been approved.
In the last referendum in 1999, Australians voted against changing the constitution to establish the Commonwealth of Australia as a republic with the monarchy and governor-general being replaced by a president appointed by a two-thirds majority of members of parliament.
(Reporting by Praveen Menon in Sydney; Editing by Alasdair Pal and Lincoln Feast)
