The Failure of the Voice Referendum and the Future of Australian Democracy: 1 (Anthem Studies in Australian Politics, Economics and Society, 1)

Australia, and Australians, stood at a crossroads in October 2023.Before them lay a new and more accommodating way to practice democracy, a future in which First Nations people were given a representative voice in political decisions in this country.After months of a referendum campaign, struggling over foundational ideals and questions of national identity, misinformation, disinformation and racism, the proposal was overwhelmingly rejected in every Australian state and nationally.The referendum campaign was Australia’s first since the failed attempt at a republic in 1999.The political and media environment in which the referendum campaign would unfold was fundamentally changed.These changes included the growth of social media, growing distrust of major political parties, and the rise of fake news and populist politics. This book brings together a diverse set of perspectives to explore the many and complex political, social and historical factors that influenced the conduct of the camp