Indigenous leaders break silence after voice defeat

The referendum's failure could not be separated from a "deep-seated racism", NT land councils said. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Indigenous leaders have warned the mistakes of the past will be repeated after Australians overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to enshrine a voice in the constitution.

In the nation's first referendum in 24 years, the majority of Australians voted 'no' to a constitutional change to establish an advisory body which would have given advice to the government on matters affecting Indigenous people.