Aboriginal Australians Call For Empowerment Referendum As Federal Election Approaches

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2022) Indigenous Australians are asking the political parties which will win the right to form the next government to hold a referendum so that the Australian constitution officially recognizes them as Australia's "First Nations" and gives them formal representation in parliament, media reported on Thursday.

The Australian government would rather prefer establishing an advisory body representing Indigenous stances than changing the constitution, which requires a referendum, according to reports. Australia will hold a Federal election on Saturday.

"We need our politicians, and the next government, whoever forms government in the 46th Parliament of Australia to get on board and make this happen," National Director for Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) Paul Wright told New Zealand's 1News broadcaster.

Data from Australian broadcaster ABC news revealed that more than 73% of Australians "firmly" or "to some extent" agree that the constitution needs amendments to ensure Indigenous people get a "voice" in parliament.

Indigenous Australians are descendants of the first modern-type people, who are believed to have migrated from Africa nearly 75,000 years ago, making up less than 3% of the country's population today.