Emotional Australian PM urges voters to back Aboriginal 'voice'

The Australian government on Thursday took a historical step with the referendum to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders recognition in the constitution.

An emotional Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation and urged the people to back the referendum, what he described as a long overdue vote.

While standing alongside several Indigenous leaders, Albanese spoke televised press conference. He said, "For many ... this moment has been a very long time in the making."

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The prime minister choked up during the address and said, "Yet they have shown such patience and optimism through this process, and that spirit of cooperation and thoughtful, respectful dialogue has been so important at arriving at this point in such a united fashion."

Australians are to vote, "yes" or "no" in the referendum question, which will 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?".

Aboriginal people make up about 3.2 per cent of Australia's nearly 26 million population. They were marginalised by British colonial rulers and are not mentioned in the 122-year-old constitution.

They were not granted voting rights until the 1960s and have consistently lagged behind national averages in most socioeconomic measures.

But it gets amended, the Constitution will have a new chapter titled "Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples."

Albanese told reporters: "We urgently need better outcomes because it’s not good enough where we’re at in 2023."

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.