For the record......
As
at 1:15:12 PM AEDT on Monday, 23 Oct 2023, the
Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) official ballot count for the 14 October 2023
national referendum polling places — within the two federal electorates encompassing the NSW Northern Rivers region — revealed that a combined total of 62.32% of all formal ordinary, pre-poll & postal
votes were marked “NO” and only 37.67% marked “YES”.
An
est. 15% of all persons on the federal registry eligible to vote in
either the Page or Richmond federal electoral divisions on Monday 18
September 2023 either did not cast a vote or are yet to be included in the
AEC ballot count results.
As
of yesterday afternoon the percentage of voters in the Northern
Rivers region who denied Australia’s First Nations formal and
enduring recognition in the Australian Constitution by way of an
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Voice to Parliament was markedly higher than both the national (60.6) and NSW state (59.49) majority percentages for
“NO”.
Not a set of numbers to make a region proud.
SOURCES:
AEC
2023 REFERENDUM TALLY ROOM
https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/ReferendumNationalResults-29581.htm
PAGE
DIVISION COUNT
https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/ReferendumDivisionResults-29581-138.htm
RICHMOND
DIVISION COUNT
https://tallyroom.aec.gov.au/ReferendumDivisionResults-29581-145.htm
.iDcommunity:
demographic resources, NORTHERN RIVERS REGION COMMUNITY PROFILE
https://profile.id.com.au/northern-rivers
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Statement
by Central Australian Aboriginal Congress on the result of the
Referendum to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples
of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Voice
23
October 2023
Central
Australian Aboriginal Congress is saddened and disappointed that last
week’s Referendum to alter the Australian Constitution to recognise
First Nations people and establish a First Nations Voice to
Parliament has been defeated.
A
majority of people voted ’No’ to the Voice in every State and
Territory except the ACT. In the Northern Territory only about 40% of
voters said ‘Yes’.
However,
Aboriginal people overwhelmingly supported the Voice: about 75% of
voters in remote areas of the Northern Territory voted ‘Yes’.
Some Aboriginal communities recorded ‘Yes’ votes of over 90%.
Congress
supported a ‘Yes’ vote because we know from our own experience
that when we have a say in the issues and programs that affect us,
the outcomes are better.
The
Voice would have helped to improve the health of our communities,
building upon successes we have already achieved.
It
would have made Australia a fairer and more inclusive nation.
However,
despite the millions of Australians who agreed with us and voted
‘Yes’, the rejection of the place of First Peoples in the
nation’s rulebook is a setback for Aboriginal people and for the
nation as a whole.
Our
peoples have faced many setbacks before.
But
we are still here.
Resilience
in the face of adversity is part of who we are.
In
the face of this result, Aboriginal people – with the support of
our non-Indigenous brothers and sisters – will stand strong and
support each other as we have always done.
On
behalf of our Board of Directors, Congress would like to thank
everyone in Central Australia and across the country who voted ‘Yes’.
It means a lot to us that so many non-Indigenous people chose to
stand with us on this issue.
We
would also like to express our appreciation and respect for the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates who met at Uluru in
2017 and drafted the Uluru Statement from the Heart which first
called for the Voice.
Their
invitation to the Australian people to recognise our First Nations in
the Constitution and give us a Voice was both wise and generous.
Initially
that invitation was well-received: a year ago, two-thirds of
Australians were in favour of the Voice.
However,
the deliberate strategy of deception and misinformation adopted by
prominent ‘No’ campaigners turned many previously good-willed
people against us.
In
doing so, they gave permission for racism to run wild.
Given
the result of the Referendum and the conduct of the ‘No’
campaign, there are now serious questions about whether
reconciliation is still a viable strategy in Australia.
Nevertheless,
one thing remains certain: sooner or later the nation state must deal
with the enduring fact of Aboriginal sovereignty.
In
the meantime, our struggle for equality, justice and
self-determination will continue.
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Land Councils joint statement about the Referendum outcome
21
October 2023
Through
the Uluru Statement, Aboriginal people asked to be recognised in the
Nation’s founding document and for a formal process to be
established to inform government decision making on policy that
affects our people and our communities
Thank
you to the supporters who stood with us during the campaign. The
Prime Minister showed courage to take the proposal to the Australian
people, through a referendum. Campaigners were steadfast in their
support.
On
referendum day the majority of Australians denied this simple
request.
The
mistakes of the past will be continued with the latest mandate. In
effect it is an attempt to silence Aboriginal people which is likely
to further disadvantage our communities. The request for a voice was
simple. Listen to us before you make decisions about us.
“We
are disappointed, but not surprised”, said Northern Land Council
Chair Dr. Samuel Bush-Blanasi.
We
recognise the result of the referendum cannot be separated from a
deep-seated racism. It is fair to say that not everyone who voted
“No” is racist but also fair to say that all racists voted “No”.
The vitriol and hatred that were part of the campaign existed prior
to, but were given licence through the process. The overarching
theory we are incapable of managing our own affairs is dehumanising
and degrading and most of all, deeply flawed.
It
is clear remote residents across Northern Australia overwhelmingly
supported the referendum proposal. Eager to break the shackles of
poor government decision-making, a proposal for a new system to
engage with government was the opportunity to break from the past.
Chair
of the Tiwi Land Council Gibson Farmer Illortaminni said that “this
outcome underscores the pressing need for us to find a way forward,
one that ensures our voices are not only heard but respected when
crucial decisions are being made by the government, decisions that
directly impact our lives, lands, seas and culture.”
With
an eye on the future, we remember in the Northern Territory, we make
up 30% of the population. We control 48% of the land and 85% of the
coastline. We remind the public and we remind politicians, prosperity
in this jurisdiction relies on us. “We ask for and will continue to
expect engagement and partnership”, said Tony Wurramarrba, Chair of
the Anindilyakwa Land Council.
In
response to the referendum outcome the Northern Land Council, Tiwi
Land Council and the Anindilyakwa Land Council say:
We
are the oldest continuous living culture on the planet, and we will
continue to assert our traditional and legal rights and land title to
strive for improvements in social and economic outcomes.
We
will continue our journey toward self-determination.
We
are strong and resolute.
The
Northern Land Council, Tiwi Land Council and the Anindilyakwa Land
Council will continue to champion the rights of our constituents,
particularly those in remote areas – through political,
legislative, policy processes & advocacy.
Every
successful step toward recognition and equality has been hard won and
we will continue to fight for the rights of our people and the right
to be heard.
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