One year on from the voice referendum, we are less trusting and wearier than before – but we still have plenty of heart

‘Our shared reconciliation journey will continue to be awkward, fraught, messy … and imperfect. But it is a virtuous quest,’ writes Kirstie Parker. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

I know I’m not alone in feeling unsettled as Australia approaches the first anniversary of the unsuccessful referendum on an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice to parliament.

Like a lot of other First Nations people and our allies, since 14 October 2023 I have tried not to overthink the overwhelming no vote, instead focusing on ways to deal with the still fresh and profound grief ossifying within me.