Newspoll: ‘Quiet majority’ of Australians support Anthony Albanese’s Indigenous Voice to Parliament

Most Australians are in favour of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament because it would allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to have a say in policies that affect them, Newspoll has revealed. 

The new poll surveyed 1512 Australians across the country to gather their views on the Voice to Parliament and it shows that 56 per cent of Aussies support the proposal, while 37 per cent area gainst it.

Interestingly, those in favour of the advisory body were divided evenly between being ‘strongly in favour’ at 28 per cent and ‘partly in favour’ also at 28 per cent.

Those against the proposal were more firmly opposed to it, with ’14 per cent ‘partly against’ and 23 per cent ‘strongly against’. 

Those most supportive of the proposal were Greens voters, with 81 per cent in favour, followed by Labor voters at 74 per cent and Coalition voters at 37 per cent.

Most Australians support an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, with a recent Newspoll showing 56 per cent of respondents were in favour of the proposal (pictured, dancers performing at last year’s Garma Festival in northeast Arnhem Land)

Young people aged 18 to 34 were the age demographic most in favour of the Voice at 70 per cent, while those 65 and older were least supportive at 40 per cent for and 57 per cent against. 

Women were also more in favour than men and university graduates were more supportive than those who had no tertiary education. 

The major reasons Aussies back the Voice is so Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a say in policies that affect them, to ensure their views are heard in Parliament, to help close the gap and to take a further step toward reconciliation.

Those against the proposal believe The Voice will not help fix the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, that it will favour one group of Australians over another and will lead to division in our society.

It comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a speech in Canberra on Sunday calling on Australians to support a referendum to enshrine the Voice in Australia’s Constitution. 

Mr Albanese accused his opponents of ‘trying to start a culture war’ over the proposal and parrot disinformation. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) delivered a speech on Sunday calling on Australians to support a referendum to enshrine the Voice in Australia’s Constitution

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‘In asking Australians to support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait ­Islander Voice we are asking ­people to say yes to a modest but meaningful change,’ he said.

‘Not a radical proposition, a sensible one. A simple, vital and practical principle: that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a say in the policies and decisions that affect their lives.

‘Not just because – as I’ve said before – it is common courtesy to consult people when you’re taking a decision that affects them. But because the practical outcomes will be better.’

Liberal Opposition leader Peter Dutton is expected to unveil his party’s position on the Voice next week, while the Nationals already made their opposition to the proposal known last year. 

Mr Dutton wrote a letter with 15 questions to Mr Albanese last week, asking for further clarification on the Voice.

Australians will vote in a referendum in the second half of this year on whether the constitution should be amended to create an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander body to provide advice to the federal parliament on policies affecting them.