Voters walk past Vote Yes and Vote No signs at the Old Australian Parliament House during The Voice referendum, in Canberra, Australia, October 14, 2023.
REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australia's parliament will on Monday meet for the first time since the failure of a referendum on Indigenous recognition that could weaken the authority of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Albanese staked significant political capital on a "Yes" vote, with the opposition Liberal party opposing it.
The outcome is a major setback for reconciliation efforts with the country's Indigenous community and damages Australia's image in the world regarding how it treats them.
The country's main business newspaper, the Australian Financial Review, called the result "heartbreaking" for the country's Indigenous community, that make up around 3.8% of the population and have suffered from centuries of neglect and discrimination since colonisation by Great Britain in 1788.
Persons:
Tracey Nearmy, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Peter Dutton, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates
Organizations:
Old Australian, House, The, REUTERS, Rights, Liberal, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial, Thomson
Locations:
Canberra, Australia, Great Britain, Sydney