After months of heated debate, Australians cast their final votes in the Voice to Parliament referendum on Saturday 14 October.
Voters across the country were asked whether they say Yes or No to amending the Constitution to recognize Australia’s First Peoples by creating an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
Almost all the main television stations will broadcast their programs with a focus on the referendum, below is what each of them has planned.
Australian voters headed to the polls on Saturday to cast their vote in the Voice referendum
Major news stations across Australia will carry special segments as votes are counted for the Voice (pictured, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon)
SKY NEWS
As Sky offers 24-hour news coverage, it will provide live updates on how the vote is going throughout the day.
“Join Tim Gilbert and Jaynie Seal from 6am AEDT for Weekend Edition as Australians cast their vote,” the network said in a statement.
“Then Peter Stefanovic hosts ‘Weekend Live: Referendum Day’ from 10am, before Ashleigh Gillon leads us through the final hours of the critical vote from 2pm.
The channel’s more ‘in-depth’ coverage anchored by Kieran Gilbert will start at 5pm, with political editor Andrew Clennell and presenters Chris Kenny and Peta Credlin to join a panel.
They will be joined by Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, Nationals leader David Littleproud, Indigenous affairs commentator Anthony Dillon, former Labor MP Stephen Conroy and Liberal Yes co-convener Sean Gordon.
A B C
The ABC is moving its traditional news slot to an earlier time slot of 5pm in order to start its permanent coverage from 5.30pm AEDT, with live scores coming in from around the country.
Halla promises the coverage will be the ‘most comprehensive’ in the country.
The program will be anchored by Bridget Brennan, David Speers and Dan Bourchier, joined by chief election analyst Antony Green and chief political correspondent Laura Tingle, who will provide analysis of the results as they come in.
News anchor Kieran Gilbert will host the Sky News panel alongside political commentator Peta Credlin (above)
ABC’s coverage of the referendum will be anchored by Bridget Brennan, David Speers and Dan Bourchier
Reporters Patricia Karvelas and Isabella Higgins will also add coverage, promising to look at ‘both sides of the vote’.
SBS AND NITV
On Saturday night, twin channels SBS and NITV will broadcast four hours of live news coverage as the votes are counted.
SBS World News will retain its regular 6.30pm AEDT spot, but presenter Anton Enus will be joined by Mudburra and Wagadagam woman Natalie Ahmat.
From 7.30pm, the channel will broadcast a two-hour live special of The Point: Australia Decides, hosted by Wuthathi and Meriam’s husband John Paul Janke and Whadjuk Noongar wife Narelda Jacobs.
They will be joined for discussion by a panel of guests including Professor Marcia Langton, Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, former senator and Olympian Nova Peris, Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth and Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer, and more.
The SBS World News team will then return for a late bulletin at 9.30pm, featuring the latest national news coverage.
The Point co-hosts Wuthathi and Meriam husband John Paul Janke and Whadjuk Noongar wife Narelda Jacobs (above) will present SBS and NITV’s two-hour referendum special
Michael Usher (above) will lead 7News’ coverage of the Voice vote starting at 7pm local time
CHANNEL 7
Channel 7 will broadcast a half-hour countdown special starting at 7pm local time hosted by Michael Usher and with insights from political editor Mark Riley.
“He will be joined by leaders from both parties, including Federal Education Minister Jason Clare and Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie,” 7 News said in a statement.
Programming will then return to its normal Saturday schedule with regular live updates, followed by a ‘comprehensive live bulletin from 10pm with the result as it happens.’
Channel 7 will return for a ‘wrap up’ of the Voice results at 9.50pm.
Charles Croucher (above), Nine’s political editor from October 2022, will take the reigns of the network’s coverage
CHANNEL 9
Australia’s biggest commercial TV news will spend 30 minutes on a program dedicated to The Voice after its 6pm newscast.
Peter Overton, Brooke Boney and the channel’s political editor Charles Croucher will lead ‘special referendum coverage’ from 7pm, once the voting results are in.
The channel will then switch to sports coverage from 7.30pm before returning to another news break at 11pm.
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