The bell has rung on the final round of the voice referendum. Voting in remote areas has already begun, amid declining polling numbers for the yes campaign. Even the prime minister is now using language that might be construed as preparing yes campaigners for a result that none of them wanted to publicly consider, but is looking more likely by the day.
Anthony Albanese told Guardian Australia’s political editor, Katharine Murphy, he hoped Australians would vote yes to unify the nation. But, he said, the voice debate had already succeeded in raising awareness about the gap in life outcomes between First Nations and other Australians.
