It's official: PM confirms date for Indigenous Voice referendum

The speculation is officially over, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirming that Australians will vote on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum on Saturday, October 14 - the first vote of its kind in over 20 years.

The Prime Minister made the announcement - and the case for the Yes vote - in Elizabeth, South Australia, a state that is seen as vitally important to the fate of the vote by both sides. But with hyperbolic media coverage, corporate involvement and a troubling lack of accessible and clearly defined supporting information, uncertainty still lingers in many corners.

Current polls fail to point to a clear consensus, with strong divisions apparent in key demographics including age. Polls indicate that while support for the Voice is high from 18-34 year olds, only one in three Australians over 55 are likely to vote in support.

What is the official wording of the Indigenous Voice referendum? 

A proposed law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration? 

What is a Referendum?

In simple terms, a referendum is a national vote regarding a proposed change to the Australian Constitution. All Australian residents aged 18 and over are obliged to participate, the same as in any standard democratic election.

The proposed change is decided in Federal Parliament. The change must either make its way through both the House of Representatives and the Senate like most legislation, or make it twice through the same house, before it can be put to the public.

How does an Australian Referendum work?

For a referendum to be successful, it needs to secure the majority of support in a majority of states, as well as at least 50% of the total vote. Just one or the other will not be good enough - if a majority of states support the decision but it doesn't have the support of half the nation, it will fail. If it has the support of half the voting public but doesn't win in 4 states, it will fail.

Territory votes (ACT and NT) only count toward the national total.

Currently, only eight of the 44 national referendums held since 1906 have succeeded, with the last supported referendum occurring in 1977. Successful campaigns have previously helped provide social services to a number of groups, recognition for Indigenous Australians and voting legislation.

Notably, all successful referendums have been passed by a convincing margin in either all six states or five of them. No referendum has ever won by succeeding in four states alone. Given the apparent division and uncertainty, the early signs do not bode well for the current campaign, but there's still time for both sides to enhance their positions.

When was the last Australian Referendum? 

The Voice referendum will be the first held in Australia this century, and the first in over 20 years. The last referendum was held regarding the Republic matter back in 1999.

Despite wide media coverage indicating that the Yes vote had popular support, both components were beaten soundly, with the Referendum question only gaining a majority vote in the ACT. In the overall vote, less than 40% of participants supported the move - meaning it lost convincingly on both of the required fronts.