Australia has rejected a plan to give greater political rights to Indigenous people in a referendum, according to BBC report.
All six states voted against a constitutional amendment that aimed to acknowledge First Nations people and establish an advisory body for them to provide guidance to the government.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the difficulty of the defeat, stating, “When you aim high, sometimes you fall short. We understand and respect that fact.”
In contrast, Opposition leader Peter Dutton characterized the outcome as “beneficial for our country.”
This referendum, known as “The Voice,” marked Australia’s first in nearly 25 years. With the majority of ballots counted, the “No” vote led the “Yes” vote by a margin of 60% to 40%.
The referendum campaign was marked by contentious and often heated debates.
Supporters said that entrenching the Indigenous peoples into the constitution would unite Australia and usher in a new era.
No leaders said that the idea was divisive, would create special “classes” of citizens where some were more equal than others, and the new advisory body would slow government decision-making.