Australia votes in landmark Indigenous Voice referendum

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By Lewis Jackson and Samuel McKeith

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a last-ditch appeal on Saturday for his fellow Australians to back a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution, as the country went to the polls to decide on the historic measure.

«I sincerely hope that Australians, when they walk into that ballot box today, vote 'Yes',» Albanese said in Sydney, according to a transcript.

Australians must write 'Yes' or 'No' on the ballot to answer whether they agree to alter the 122-year-old constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people and create an Indigenous body, called the Voice to Parliament, that can advise the government on Indigenous issues.

A poll released on Saturday indicated the 'No' vote is likely to succeed despite a late lift in support for 'Yes'. Academics and human rights advocates fear a win for the 'No' camp could set back reconciliation efforts by years.

Supporters of the proposal believe entrenching an Indigenous Voice in the constitution would unite Australia and usher in a new era with its Indigenous people, who account for 3.8% of the population and are its most disadvantaged, by most socio-economic measures.

Many Indigenous people favour the change, but some say it is a distraction from achieving practical and positive outcomes and would not fully resolve issues affecting them. The political opposition says the measure is divisive, would be ineffective and would slow government decision-making.

Polls opened at 8 a.m. (from 2100 GMT on Friday in Sydney and Melbourne to 2400 GMT in Perth), although nearly half the more than 17 million eligible to vote had cast their vote early. Voting is compulsory in Australia.

Vote counting