Poll finds 80% of First Nations people back Voice to Parliament

Jan 27, 2023

**Referendum support:** Amid growing debate within the First Nations community over the merits of a Voice to Parliament, advocates for the referendum have seized upon results from a new poll. Photo by Megan Fisher

As debate over the proposed referendum for a Voice to Parliament increases, a new poll has claimed eight-in-10 First Nations people would vote yes in such a referendum.

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Some First Nations speakers at Invasion or Survival Day protests on Australia Day encouraged Traditional Owners not to support the referendum without a Treaty first being agreed upon.

Other senior First Nations leaders strongly favour a Voice to Parliament and have criticised vocal critics of the proposal, such as Victorian Greens senator Lydia Thorpe.

The poll, conducted in the past week by market research company IPSOS, and released on Friday, January 27, found 80 per cent of First Nations people would vote yes in a referendum with a further one-in-10 undecided. Only 10 per cent said they did not support the Voice.

The poll also found First Nations supporters of the Voice were confident in that support, with three quarters of yes voters ‘very sure’ about their decision, with the remaining ‘fairly sure’.

Alyawarre woman and Uluru Dialogue co-chair Pat Anderson said the research confirmed the campaign for a First Nations Voice reflected the views of most Traditional Owners as a chance to improve outcomes for First Nations communities.

“It’s clear. Overwhelmingly, First Nations people support a Voice — a chance to have a say in the policies and laws that impact us,” Ms Anderson said.

“As we move towards referendum, we encourage all Australians not to be swayed by the noisy few, but to be reassured that when they place their vote for yes, they walk alongside most First Nations people who want a better future for our country.”

The poll was conducted from January 20 to 24 and surveyed 300 First Nations people around Australia.