Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “What is Australia’s Indigenous Voice referendum?” which was published in the Indian Express. A referendum for constitutional change in Australia to recognize the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice was defeated. 
• Referendum is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue.

Who are the ‘First Peoples of Australia?

• Indigenous Inhabitants: Aboriginal people are the  indigenous inhabitants of the continent — people who lived on the Australian mainland and surrounding islands for tens of thousands of years before the first Europeans arrived in the early 17th century.
• Mention: The Aboriginals find no mention in Australia’s 122-year-old Constitution.
• Share: They make up about 3.2% of Australia’s population and track below national averages on most socio-economic measures.

How far back before the arrival of the Europeans can we trace Australia’s history?

• Ancient rock carvings suggest humans inhabited Australia some 45,000 years ago.
• According to the National Library of Australia, Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon was the first European, who arrived on the western side of Cape York peninsula in 1606. 

How did the Australian government’s policies impact indigenous people?

• Marginalization of Indigenous Communities: Laws and policies made by the colonial settlers contributed to the marginalization of the indigenous communities, who fared increasingly worse than their non-native counterparts on indicators like education and life expectancy.
• The Infants Welfare Act of 1935: Under the act, indigenous children on Cape Barren Island were removed from their families based on claims of child neglect and are now referred to as “The Stolen Generation”. 

Also Read: India-Australia Bilateral Relations

Conclusion

Australia’s Indigenous Voice Referendum failed to enshrine Indigenous recognition and consultation in the Constitution, but it ignited a crucial debate on reconciliation.

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