Political gains have not come easily for Aboriginal Australians, who have fought tooth-and-nail over the years to secure basic voting rights, own traditional lands, and win election to parliament. Albanese has vowed that his government will continue working to deliver Indigenous recognition -- although it is unclear what options remain. While the vast majority of Aboriginal Australians supported the referendum, some opposed it as a token measure that would not drive meaningful change. Indigenous "no" campaigner Warren Mundine told national broadcaster ABC on Sunday he was thankful the referendum had failed. Aboriginal Australians, whose ancestors settled on the continent around 60,000 years ago, are today celebrated as the flag bearers of one of the world's oldest continuous cultures.

Source: The Guardian October 15, 2023 17:06 UTC