SYDNEY
\nA record number of Australians have enrolled to vote next month in a referendum to recognise the country\u2019s Indigenous people in the constitution, according to the election commission.
\nAustralians will be asked in a referendum on Oct. 14 whether they approve altering the constitution to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body called the \u201cVoice to Parliament\u201d that can give advice on matters that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
\nThe proposal has been struggling to get majority support with recent opinion polls showing voters are will reject it.
\nA record 97.7% of eligible Australians have enrolled to vote in the referendum, the Australian Election Commission (AEC) said in a statement late on Thursday.
\nThe electoral roll has increased by 2.6% since the 2022 federal election, it said. More than 8.4 million people, 47% of the roll, were not enrolled when the last referendum was held in 1999, the commission added.
\n\u201cThe youth enrolment rate has also increased to 91.4% which means approximately 1.8 million 18-24 year olds are ready to vote and have their say in their first referendum,\u201d Australian Electoral Commissioner, Tom Rogers said.
\n\u201cIn terms of First Nations enrolment, this sits at 94.1% and is the highest it has ever been,\u201d he added.
\nTo change the constitution, the referendum, backed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese\u2019s Labor government, would require a national majority in favour and majorities in at least four of Australia\u2019s six states.
\nIndigenous Australians, who account for 3.8% of the population, face disadvantages including discrimination, poor health and education outcomes and high incarceration rates.
\nSupporters of the referendum argue the \u201cVoice to Parliament\u201d will bring progress for the Aboriginal community, while opponents say it would hand excessive powers to the body. Some Indigenous Australians want stronger action, including a treaty with the government.
\nAlbanese said in a statement on Friday that Australia\u2019s Indigenous people have advocated for constitutional recognition through a Voice for years as a practical way of making real progress on issues like health and education.
\n\u201cThe Voice will mean we listen to people about issues that affect them, so we get better results,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cGiving locals a say also means we save money because we\u2019ll be making sure funding actually reaches the people on the ground and makes a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SYDNEY A record number of Australians have enrolled to vote next month in a referendum to recognise the country\u2019s Indigenous people in the constitution, according to the election commission. Australians will be asked in a referendum on Oct. 14 whether they approve altering the constitution to enshrine an Indigenous advisory body called the \u201cVoice to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":357711,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-357698","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n