By Alasdair Pal
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s parliament will on Monday meet for the first time since the failure of a referendum on Indigenous recognition that could weaken the authority of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
More than 60% of Australians voted “No” in the landmark referendum on Saturday that asked whether to alter the constitution to recognise the country’s Indigenous peoples, and create an advisory body that would have advised parliament on matters concerning the community.
Albanese staked significant political capital on a “Yes” vote, with the opposition Liberal party opposing it. He will face Liberal leader Peter Dutton during parliamentary question time at 2 p.m. on Monday (0300 GMT).
The outcome is a major setback for reconciliation efforts with the country’s Indigenous community and damages Australia’s image in the world regarding how it treats them.
“The damage from Saturday’s vote will be extreme,” an editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald said on Monday.
“This will set back the cause of reconciliation, despite what politicians are saying.”
The country’s main business newspaper, the Australian Financial Review, called the result “heartbreaking” for the country’s Indigenous community, that make up around 3.8% of the population and have suffered from centuries of neglect and discrimination since colonisation by Great Britain in 1788.
(Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Stephen Coates)
