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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues

27 Jun 2019

Q. What is your view about the following issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and whether they should be a priority for the Government to address?

Support, and should be a priority Support, but not a high priority Don’t support Not sure NET: Support NET: Support

(Feb’18)
Meet the ‘Close the Gap’ indigenous health, education and employment targets 36% 38% 15% 12% 74% 75%
Include aboriginal recognition in the constitution 33% 37% 18% 12% 70% 70%
Establish an indigenous ‘voice’ to advise the Parliament 29% 37% 21% 13% 66% 68%
Agree a treaty with indigenous Australia 26% 33% 25% 16% 59% 59%
Australia to become a republic 17% 26% 38% 19% 43% 46%
Change the date of Australia Day 12% 18% 58% 12% 30% 27%
Change the words of the National Anthem 11% 22% 53% 14% 33% N/A
  • Voters supported meeting the ‘Close the Gap’ targets (74%), inclusion of aboriginal recognition in the constitution (70%), and establishment of an Indigenous ‘voice’ to advise Parliament (66%), with around three in ten voters saying each should be a high priority for the Government to address.
  • Coalition voters were less likely than other voters to say they supported all of these issues and they should be a priority, whereas Greens voters were more likely to say so.
  • Changing the date of Australia Day and the words of the National Anthem were opposed by a majority of voters.
  • Net support for all of the issues varied little from when the same question was asked in February 2018.
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