Peter Dutton wants a second referendum to acknowledge Indigenous Australians in the Constitution even though a proposal was resoundingly defeated in 1999.
The Opposition Leader on Monday reiterated his pushed for a second referendum to be held should Prime Minister Anthony Albanese‘s Indigenous Voice to Parliament proposal be defeated on October 14 – as opinion polls suggest.
Australians voted on two referendum questions 24 years ago, the last time there was a vote to amend the Constitution.
The question asking voters if they wanted a preamble added to the Constitution, acknowledging Indigenous Australians was even less popular than the rejected proposal about whether Australia should become a republic.
The preamble, co-written by then Liberal prime minister John Howard, a monarchist, and the late poet Les Murray, received just 39.3 per cent popular support in November 1999 and it failed in every state of Australia.
The defeated preamble included a line ‘honouring Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, the nation’s first people, for their deep kinship with their lands and for their ancient and continuing cultures which enrich the life of our country’.
It did even worse than the question asking voters if they wanted a republic with an Australian head of state known as a president to replace the Queen, approved by two-thirds of federal Parliament.
Liberal leader Peter Dutton wants a second referendum to acknowledge Indigenous Australians in the Constitution even though the proposal was resoundingly defeated in 1999
The republic did not win a majority in any state, despite having the support of 45.1 per cent of voters.
The preamble may have also alienated atheists beginning with the line: ‘With hope in God’.
The place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders was mentioned behind the fact Australia is a federated democracy, the sacrifices of those in war and the rule of law.
Indigenous Australians were placed ahead of migrants.
‘With hope in God, the Commonwealth of Australia is constituted as a democracy with a federal system of government to serve the common good,’ the proposed preamble said.
‘We the Australian people commit ourselves to this Constitution:
‘Proud that our national unity has been forged by Australians from many ancestries;
‘Never forgetting the sacrifices of all who defended our country and our liberty in time of war;
‘Upholding freedom, tolerance, individual dignity and the rule of law;
‘Honouring Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, the nation’s first people, for their deep kinship with their lands and for their ancient and continuing cultures which enrich the life of our country;
‘Recognising the nation-building contribution of generations of immigrants;
‘Mindful of our responsibility to protect our unique natural environment;
‘Supportive of achievement as well as equality of opportunity for all;
‘And valuing independence as dearly as the national spirit which binds us together in both adversity and success.’
Mr Dutton on Monday called for a referendum to acknowledge Indigenous Australians in the Constitution without the need for a Voice to Parliament.
‘I think it’s the wrong thing for our country to enshrine a Voice in the Constitution and we should be very clear about that,’ he told Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr on Monday.
‘I believe an overwhelming number of Australians support recognition but don’t support the Voice.’
![A referendum question in November 1999, asking voters if they wanted a preamble added to the Constitution, acknowledging Indigenous Australians, was even less popular than the rejected proposal about whether Australia should become a republic (pictured is the May 2000 reconciliation walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/04/07/75029743-12477415-image-a-46_1693807202955.jpg)
A referendum question in November 1999, asking voters if they wanted a preamble added to the Constitution, acknowledging Indigenous Australians, was even less popular than the rejected proposal about whether Australia should become a republic (pictured is the May 2000 reconciliation walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge)
Mr Dutton called on the Prime Minister to change the question.
‘We don’t need a second referendum if the Prime Minister listens to the Australian public and changes the question and just has a simple recognition question put to the Australian people on October 14,’ he said.
A Newspoll published on Monday in The Australian showed the No vote having 53 per cent support six weeks out from the October 14 referendum, with just 38 per cent declaring they would vote Yes and 9 per cent undecided.
Just eight out of 44 referendum questions have passed since the first one was held in 1906.
![The preamble, written by then Liberal prime minister John Howard (pictured with his family in October 1998) and the late poet Les Murray, received just 38.96 per cent popular support in November 1999 and it failed in every state of Australia](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/04/07/75029749-12477415-image-a-48_1693807456921.jpg)
The preamble, written by then Liberal prime minister John Howard (pictured with his family in October 1998) and the late poet Les Murray, received just 38.96 per cent popular support in November 1999 and it failed in every state of Australia