Polls open in Australia's Indigenous rights referendum, New Zealand elections

Two crucial polls opened in the Oceania region on Saturday (October 14) in which Australians began voting on a referendum for Indigenous rights while the New Zealanders started stamping their ballots in the country's general elections.

Australia's Indigenous referendum

Deemed "historic", the referendum on rights and recognition for Indigenous citizens, will result in almost 18 million Australians casting their ballots for or against constitutional changes to acknowledge Indigenous peoples for the first time and create an advisory body -- a so-called "Voice" -- to weigh laws that affect those communities.

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Opinion polls showed limited optimism for these reforms, with recent surveys indicating that the "yes" camp has support slightly above 40 per cent, while the "no" side approaches 60 per cent.

Australia's Indigenous population, with a heritage spanning over 60,000 years on the continent, comprises just 3.8 per cent of the total population.

However, the indigenous people have experienced persistent inequality since white settlement more than two centuries ago.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders face higher rates of illness, imprisonment, and premature mortality compared to their more affluent white compatriots.

Advocates argue that these reforms are necessary to address these disparities.

Elections in New Zealand

Meanwhile, New Zealand's general election started on Saturday, where Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is seeking a third term for his center-left Labour party.

Hipkins assumed leadership in January, succeeding the popularJacinda Ardern.

His Labour party is competing against the opposition, led by Christopher Luxon and the conservative National Party.

Also watch |New Zealand PM Chris Hipkins: No risk to national security

The country maintains strict election-day laws governing media reporting and political campaigning to prevent undue influence on voters.

Exit polls are not allowed, leaving the electorate to await early results after polling stations close. Approximately 3.5 million people are registered to vote, with around 1.2 million having already cast their ballots.

(With inputs from agencies)

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