Indigenous Voice to Parliament: Anthony Albanese to announce referendum date in South Australia

Australians will head to the polls on October 14 to vote in the first referendum in 24 years.

Ending months of speculation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will officially announce the date in the must-win state of South Australia next week and kick off a six-week campaign.

It’s understood Mr Albanese will join prominent Voice supporters in South Australia next week in a bid to turn the tide and rally support for the proposed constitutional change.

In order for a referendum to succeed it must win the majority of votes in a majority of states.

Only eight of 44 referendums have succeeded in Australia’s 122 year history – all with bipartisan support.

The latest polls have support for the Voice slumping in every state, and according to the latest Newspoll surveys the ‘Yes’ vote is ahead in only South Australia and NSW.

The votes are evenly split in Victoria, while the ‘No’ vote is leading in WA, Queensland, and Tasmania, with the No campaign confident it can win over voters.

The Yes campaign is also targeting the island state.

Speaking alongside Voice campaigner Pat Farmer – a former Liberal MP and ultra marathon runner – Mr Albanese on Tuesday said the Voice was about ‘just three things’.

‘Recognising First Nations people in our founding document, our Constitution,’ he said.

‘Secondly, giving them a Voice – an advisory body to government so that government can listen and so that we can get better results.

‘A Yes vote is a vote to give respect to Indigenous Australians … an opportunity to lift our nation up, to show that we’re a confident and mature nation who can come to terms with the fullness and richness of our history.

‘If not now, when?’

Mr Albanese has ruled out legislating a Voice to parliament if the bid for constitutional reform falls short, saying he will respect Australia’s wishes.

The Yes camp is anticipated to ramp up campaigning for the Voice over the coming weeks as polls show support amongst the public continues to dip.

A RedBridge survey taken earlier this month found the No campaign with a huge 56-44 lead over the Yes side.

This comes as a Guardian Essential Poll had the No side at 47 per cent and Yes at 43 per cent.

The Yes side now trails the No side in every state and territory – to pass, four of the six states would have to vote Yes, as well as winning the overall national vote.

Ending months of speculation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will officially announce the date in the must-win state of South Australia next week and kick off a six-week campaign 

Both polls are an indicator that people’s views are hardening as it’s the first time people have been surveyed since the launch of campaign information pamphlets by both camps in July.

The push to change the constitution has also revealed income and education divides – the more educated or well off a person is, the more likely they are to support Yes.

Two-thirds of people with a Year 12 and TAFE education plan to vote No, while 56 per cent of degree holders support Yes, the poll, carried out for News Corp, found.

Similarly, two-thirds of people with annual household incomes below $50,000 a year also plan to vote No.

The Voice is even more unpopular with Protestants and voters aged over 65 – around 75 per cent in each category planning to vote No.

Other groups supporting the Voice are those aged 18-34 (63 per cent in favour) and those speaking a language other than English at home (59 per cent backing Yes)