Aussie ‘No’ vote on Indigenous Peoples’ recognition a ‘missed opportunity: Rights head

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau

UNITED NATIONS, 25^th Oct. UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Tuesday that the failure of a referendum to recognition of Indigenous Peoples in the constitution is a “missed opportunity” by Australia.

Mr. Türk was speaking after Australians decided in a 14 October referendum not to officially recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the country’s Constitution.

Over 60 per cent of Australian voters and a majority in all six states voted ‘No’ to the proposals, OHCHR stated.

Mr. Turk deplored the “scaremongering, misinformation and disinformation” in the campaign against the vote.

He stressed the importance of the debate within the country on the “exclusion and disadvantage suffered by Indigenous Peoples”.

Mr. Türk said “Realizing rights to equality, to self-determination and to participation of Indigenous Peoples in decisions that affect them, including through their self-governing bodies, remains central to Australia’s future and is reinforced by Australia’s international human rights obligations,”.

He called on the country’s political leaders to “work to unite rather than divide” the population on this issue and intensify efforts to address the continued exclusion and disadvantage of the First Peoples of Australia.