[1/2] 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 Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Australian Indigenous leaders called on Sunday for a week of silence and reflection after a referendum to recognise the First Peoples in the constitution was decisively rejected by a majority of the population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people make up 3.8% of Australia's 26 million population and have inhabited the country for about 60,000 years. The leaders said they would lower the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flag to half-mast for the week and urged others to do the same. 'REFLECT HARD'Prime Minister Anthony Albanese staked significant political capital on the Voice referendum, but his critics say it was his biggest misstep since coming to power in May last year.

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Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Lloyd Walker, Walker, Jade Ritchie, it’s, Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton, Cordelia Hsu, Jill Gralow, Chizu Nomiyama Organizations: Old Australian, House, REUTERS, Rights, Peoples, Aboriginal, First Peoples, national rugby, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Torres, Canada, New Zealand