NewsBite

UPDATED

The Voice Referendum: Queensland results and reaction live

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has snubbed the Yes campaign event for the Brisbane Polish Club's 70th birthday bash as the Voice referendum was voted out. 

Voice Debate - You decide

Millions of Queenslanders have cast their vote in the referendum to determine if the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament will be a success or failure.

SCROLL DOWN TO FOLLOW A LIVE BLOG OF QLD ANALYSIS AND REACTION

Updates

Goodnight: Queensland leads the nation's No vote

That's where we'll leave our live coverage of the Voice referendum.

Queensland, like the nation, has rejected the Voice being enshrined in the Constitution.

Counting by the Australian Electoral Commission has slowed with the state sitting at a 68-31 No vote.

Three electorates, Brisbane, Lilley and Ryan, are the only ones to vote Yes.

Moreton and Lilley are too close to call, but the No vote leads.


Queensland leads nation's No vote

Queensland leads the No vote across the nation with 68 per cent of voters rejecting the voice.

It compares to a national No vote of 59 per cent.

South Australia is the next strongest No vote behind Queensland, with 64 per cent.

Western Australia's 59-40 No vote was closer than pundits expected.

No rejection of indigenous: Dutton

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton insisted Australians did not reject Indigenous people by voting against the referendum.

He said the overwhelming result showed voters were supportive of prioritising bridging the gap in key outcomes that disadvantage First Nation people, such as education and health.

“That's what Australians have voted for today – they haven't rejected Indigenous Australians,” Mr Dutton said.

“They've rejected the Voice and the government's proposal which deliberately wasn't explained to them.

“But they haven't rejected Indigenous Australians and we are all dedicated to making sure that we can do everything possible to improve their lives.”

Mr Dutton revealed Ms Price and SA Senator Kerrynne Liddle will be tasked with constructing policies ahead of the next election that directly affect First Nations people.

He also reiterated the LNP’s call to launch a royal commission into child sexual abuse within Indigenous communities.

“We're all equal Australians and I think the Australian public rejected the Prime Minister's proposition to divide us on the basis of ancestry or race, and that's a great thing for our country,” the Opposition Leader said.

No hits back in Labor's Brisbane seats

Yes leads in just three of Queensland's 30 electorates, with the Labor seats of Moreton and Lilley now too close to call.

The two seats had previously been narrowly in the Yes camp but are now split 51-49 to the No campaign.

Premier at Polish celebrations as Qld votes no

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has skipped a nearby Yes campaign event to attend the 70th birthday celebrations of The Polish Club.

Ms Palaszczuk arrived at the Milton Polish Club near 7.30pm while a barrage of ballots from across the state revealed Queensland was on track to vote No to indigenous recognition in the Constitution.


Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pictured arriving at the Polish Club's 70th Birthday function.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pictured arriving at the Polish Club's 70th Birthday function.



Her vehicle arrived in a closed carpark at the club where she briefly greeted guests and staff.

Joy at the Polish Club marking 70 years since it moved to its Milton location are in contrast to the nearby Queensland for Yes event – where some 100 people are commiserating a catastrophic defeat.

Guests at the Yes campaign were discussing Ms Palaszczuk’s attendance at the nearby Polish Club.

The Polish Club party is just a five-minute drive from the Yes referendum event at Newstead Brewing.

The Premier’s office earlier said she would be at a private function while the referendum votes were being counted.

Her office said Ms Palaszczuk was not expected to comment on the referendum result this evening.

Staff from Polish Club Polonia earlier confirmed Ms Palaszczuk would be attending its 70th anniversary event.

It was understood other MPs would be attending the event and the Premier.

Ms Palaszcuzk has proudly spoken of her Polish heritage previously.

Her grandfather spent years in Nazi labour camps while her grandmother was paraded naked by the regime.

The Premier, who held few public events in support of the Yes campaign, voted at Inala Tafe on Saturday.

“Today I’m voting yes for constitutional recognition through a Voice to Parliament,” she wrote on Facebook.

“It’s an important step… and will mean recognition, listening and better outcomes for First Nations people.”

The club on Saturday revealed it would be closed to the public for the private event.

'New era' for indigenous policy: Price

Leading No campaigner Jacinta Price has triumphantly declared “it’s time for a new era in Indigenous policy” after the resounding rejection of the Voice to Parliament proposal.

The Senator accused the Yes movement of being motivated by division and grievance, declaring the result of the referendum proved prominent Indigenous advocates were ineffective at bringing about change.

“It's time for a new era in indigenous policy and in the indigenous narrative,” Ms Price said.

“We have to step away from grievance – attempting to bring about change through grievance has evidently got us nowhere.

“It's time to accept that we are all part of the fabric of this nation.”

Ms Price said the push to improve standards for First Nations people, led by prominent advocates including Noel Pearson and Marcia Langton, “obviously has not worked”.

“It is time to apply more accountability to those who are responsible for the lives of our most marginalised,” Senator Price said.

“No more can we continue to listen to academics and activists from the inner cities, who think that they know better for Indigenous Australians, particularly in remote communities.”


Palm Island backs Yes vote

Palm Island, Queensland’s largest discreet Indigenous community, has voted 74.7 per cent yes in the Voice referendum.

Just under half of Palm Island’s enrolled voters – 432 – cast a vote on Saturday. Hundreds of island residents were in Townsville on Saturday at a rugby league carnival.

The referendum is not a major talking point in the island’s lone pub on Saturday night.

The dozen-or-so patrons are playing pool and singing karaoke, with the lyrics up on the big screen rather than referendum coverage.

One of the first songs sung was a local man’s rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine; with an adlibbed “Imagine all the blackfellas” thrown in.

– Blair Jackson

How the electorates of influential MPs voted

How have residents in the electorates of Queensland's most influential federal politicians voted?

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton: His electorate of Dickson is split 61-38 to the No vote.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers: Rankin, covering Logan, is also 61-38 to the No vote.

Nationals Leader David Littleproud: Maranoa is 84-15 No.

Speaker Milton Dick: Oxley, in the south west of Brisbane, is 55-44 No.

Sports Minister Anika Wells: Her electorate is voting Yes 51-48.


Voice 'not the right way': Deputy Premier

Deputy Premier Steven Miles has conceded the resounding result of the referendum shows the voice to parliament proposal "wasn't the right way" to achieve recognition and improve standards for First Nations people.

The vocal Yes supporter said Australian voters "never get it wrong" as he endeavoured to support Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander communities moving forward.

"First of all I want to say to First Nations Australians you are loved and valued," Mr Miles said in the immediate aftermath of the overwhelming result.

"Please do not think this result says you are not.

"But the Australian people have spoken and they’ve said they don’t support what was proposed.

"I respect that. They never get it wrong."

The Deputy Premier assured First Nations communities the Australian public would ultimately support the improvement to living standards.

"We are a generous nation," Mr Miles said.

"And we extend our hearts and our hand to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

"This wasn’t the right way. I acknowledge the strong feedback.

"But that won’t stop our efforts to bring justice, reconciliation and material improvement to the lives of our brothers and sisters.

"I know Australians want that."

Queensland to vote No

Queensland is on track to vote No.

Queensland joins all other states, except the ACT and Victoria which is too close to call, in rejecting the Voice.

With 17 per cent of the vote counted from 757 of 1502 polling places – the No vote leads 65 per cent to 35 per cent from the Yes.

Five inner-city electorates – Brisbane, Ryan, Griffith, Lilley and Moreton – show the Yes vote ahead.

It's worth remembering polls remain open in Western Australia for 45 minutes.


Read related topics:Voice To Parliament

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/the-voice-referendum-queensland-results-and-reaction-live/live-coverage/80445709fa280ef9fe7b1d06d963b2f9