Indigenous voice in parliament: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces referendum date ‘within the next two weeks’
- The date of the voting referendum may be announced in two weeks
- The Prime Minister said it would be held in October or November
The date of the Voice to Parliament referendum is expected to be announced within the next two weeks as support for the bill continues to struggle in the polls.
The federal government is preparing to make an announcement on the date before parliament reconvenes on September 4.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed at Labor’s 49th national conference in Brisbane this weekend that Australians will vote for constitutional recognition and the creation of an advisory body sometime in October or November.
He added at the conference that the government should consult the cabinet and the Australian Electoral Commission before announcing a date.
Voting architect Noel Pearson also marked an October or November weekend for the referendum at a Yes23 campaign event in Sydney last month.
The date of the Voice to Parliament referendum is expected to be revealed within two weeks by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured right with AFL legend Adam Goodes)
“Our constitution says that once you get it out of the hands of the politicians, you have to have the referendum no later than six months and no earlier than two months after that date,” he said.
“So that means (October to November) it’s the last opportunity to hold the referendum and I’m sure the government will announce one of those weekends.”
It comes as opposition leader Peter Dutton criticized the prime minister for “playing games with the date” and not being forthright with the public.
“Frankly, he needs to stop being a nuisance and come out and announce the date and let the people speak,” he said, as reported in The Western Australian.
Deputy leader Sussan Ley claimed the delay in announcing the date is “symbolic of the prime minister’s full approach to the vote.”
“He says he wants to change the country; we just can’t know how or when,” she said.
The Yes camp is expected to campaign for The Voice in the coming weeks as polls show public support continues to fall.
A RedBridge poll conducted earlier this month found the No campaign to have a massive 56-44 lead over the Yes side.
This is because a Guardian Essential Poll had the no side at 47 percent and the yes at 43 percent.
The Yes side now follows the No side in every state and territory – to pass, four of the six states would need to vote Yes and win the overall national vote (Photo: LR, Warren Mundine, Michaelia Cash, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Kerrynne Liddle)
The Yes side now follows the No side in every state and territory – to pass, four of the six states would have to vote Yes and win the overall national vote.
Both polls are an indication that people’s opinions are hardening, as it is the first time people have been polled since the launch of campaign information brochures by both camps in July.
The drive to change the constitution has also exposed income and education disparities – the more educated or affluent a person is, the more likely they are to support yes.
Two-thirds of those with Year 12 and TAFE education plan to vote no, while 56 percent of college graduates support yes, the poll conducted for News Corp. found.
Similarly, two-thirds of people with an annual household income of less than $50,000 a year also plan to vote no.
The Voice is even more unpopular with Protestants and voters over the age of 65 — about 75 percent in each category plan to be No.
Other groups that support The Voice are the 18-34 year olds (63 percent are in favour) and those who speak a language other than English at home (59 percent support Yes