Australians are unlikely to get a second chance to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution in the near future, despite a coalition pledge.
The Indigenous voice referendum was defeated on Saturday, with all states voting the proposal down and only the ACT casting a ‘yes’ majority vote.
In the lead up to polling day, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton pledged if elected the coalition would hold a second Indigenous referendum to make a simple change recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the constitution.
Asked on Monday if he would still hold a second referendum if elected, Mr Dutton would not commit to it.
The party’s policy was going to be reviewed by opposition Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Liberal senator Kerrynne Liddle, he said.
“All of our policy, as I said on Saturday night, is going to be reviewed in the process that Kerrynne and Jacinta will lead now,” Mr Dutton told reporters in Canberra.
“I think that’s important, but I think it’s clear that the Australian public is probably over the referendum process for some time.”
Nationals leader David Littleproud said “there’ll be no other referendum”, as the people had spoken.
“The Australian people are over referendums. What they want us to focus on now is the practical outcomes to fix indigenous communities where there are disadvantage,” he told AAP on Monday.
“You’ve got to understand the mood of the nation.
“We don’t want to put the Australian people through this trauma again anytime soon.”
Source: AAP
