An Uluru Statement architect has lauded the millions of Australians who voted ‘yes’ to an Indigenous voice to parliament, saying the referendum provided a springboard for a national conversation about constitutional recognition.
Professor Megan Davis said the voice referendum – which would have enshrined an Indigenous advisory body in the constitution – wasn’t debated seriously in a democratic context due to the myriad of misinformation.
“It is to us, incontrovertible that political lies and disinformation derailed the advocacy for a voice,” she told the Centre for Public Integrity’s annual integrity oration in Sydney on Wednesday night.
“Therefore we never really arrived at a point that the voice to parliament was debated or discussed seriously in the context of Australian democracy and accountability because of the avalanche of fabrications and exaggerations about the voice, the Australian constitution and race.”
The referendum was defeated 60-40 in October 2023.
Prof Davis said she didn’t see the referendum as a loss anymore.