General News
16 October, 2023
Locals vote no in referendum
Australia voted a resounding no to the Voice to Parliament referendum on Saturday, including the Central Goldfields Shire and wider Mallee electorate. While votes are still being counted, as of the latest Australian Electoral Commission polling...
Australia voted a resounding no to the Voice to Parliament referendum on Saturday, including the Central Goldfields Shire and wider Mallee electorate.
While votes are still being counted, the latest Australian Electoral Commission polling results on Tuesday morningshowed 60.64 percent of Australians voted no, while 39.36 percent voted yes.
Victoria was the state which recorded the highest number of yes votes, but the no results still outweighed them (44.98percent yes, 55.02percent no).
In the Mallee electorate — which includes the Central Goldfields Shire — 79.16 percent (79,172) of enrolled residents voted no, and 20.84 percent (20,843) yes.
Thousands of local residents got their votes in early, with a total 6100 votes cast at Maryborough’s early voting centre at Tren Du Bourg Hall — 1408 voted yes and 4644 voted no (48 votes were informal and couldn’t be counted).
On the outskirts of the shire, 747 people voted at Avoca on Saturday with 180 yes and 560 no votes (seven were informal).
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins released a joint statement on Sunday acknowledging the decision.
“We know that a lot of First Nations people will be hurting today (Sunday),” they said.
“To First Nations people, we say this clearly: Victorians respect you and your culture.
“The Voice was intended to be a way to hear what First Nations people have to say, and work to build a better future — together. We can all get behind that principle.
“Australians have decided that the Commonwealth approach to change the Constitution — in this particular way — was not the right way to go.
“We’ll keep working towards a stronger, fairer future for Aboriginal Victorians — led by, shaped by and driven by Aboriginal Victorians. And at all times, we’ll remain in awe of the extraordinary strength, resilience, and survival of First Nations people across this country.”
On the other side of the fence, leader of the Victorian Opposition John Pesutto and The Nationals leader Peter Walsh also released a statement reaffirming their commitment post the referendum.
“With the referendum now over, we must all rally and unite to close those gaps in life outcomes which, to this day, deny so many First Nations people the dignity and equality of opportunity they deserve,” they said.
“The Victorian Liberals and Nationals reaffirm our commitment to working with Indigenous communities across Victoria to close the gap and to achieve a better future for First Nations people.”
Central Goldfieldspolling results(as of 11am October 17)
Maryborough (Freemasons Masonic Hall): 1107 total votes
299 yes
794 no
14 informal
Maryborough East (Maryborough Lions Club Hall): 125 total
45 yes
78 no
2 informal
Carisbrook: 280 total votes
90 yes
189 no
1 informal
Talbot: 289 total votes
87 yes
200 no
2 informal
Timor: 104 total votes
22 yes
82 no
Dunolly: 491 total votes
130 yes
359 no
2 informal
Bealiba: 131 total votes
27 yes
103 no
1 informal