Will Australia's Indigenous get their 'Voice'?

Tarna Andrews, an Indigenous teacher and former school principal, has lived in the Northern Territory Outback settlement of Areyonga for 38 years. In just over a week, Australians will vote on whether to recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the constitution. "If I vote, is the government going to listen to me?" asked Andrews in September, speaking with Reuters.

The Indigenous population lives widely dispersed around the central city of Alice Springs. Many in the Indigenous community cannot read, and opportunities to further their education are scarce. People complain that there aren't enough jobs, health care is inadequate and internet service unreliable. Many live in poverty and have a lower life expectancy.

The October 14 referendum will ask Australians whether they support a constitutional amendment that would provide the Indigenous population with more say on matters that affect their lives. A new institution, the so-called Indigenous Voice, would give nonbinding advice to legislators on matters concerning the continent's first inhabitants.

Retiree Patrick Oliver, who shares a house with 15 relatives, is skeptical. The 70-year-old heard about the concept only two months ago, he said, and wants to know how it might help his community of about 600 residents in Hermannsburg. He wonders about Indigenous rights to land ownership.

Alice Springs was in the news last year after crime rates skyrocketed and some residents blamed Aboriginal teens for property damage and assaults fueled by drugs and alcohol. In response, authorities reinstated alcohol restrictions. However, jobs for the city's youth remain scarce.

Unlike Canada, the United States and neighboring New Zealand, Australia has no treaty with its Indigenous peoples, who make up about 3.8% of the population. Under government policies, they suffered dispossession of their homelands well into the 20th century. That discrimination continues today, with many experiencing high incarceration rates and poor educational outcomes.

The government has said the Indigenous Voice would help address these and other issues by consulting with communities to find solutions. Speaking in favor this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it a "very modest request." During nationwide "Yes" rallies on September 17, several hundred mostly white supporters came out in Alice Springs. The "No" campaign had no visible presence.

Polls, however, have shown that the majority of voters plan to vote "No." Kathy Coulthard, an Aboriginal artist in Alice Springs, is still undecided but is "leaning more towards 'No.'" She said the Voice would lead to "European and Indigenous Australians fighting against each other to get their say."