By Keira Jenkins

Two years ago Australians rejected an Indigenous voice to parliament, but its key proponents say despite the referendum loss, it started something powerful. 

To Allira Davis, who co-chairs the youth arm of the Uluru Dialogue, which has advocated for voice, treaty and truth-telling processes, the referendum was a moment of deep sadness, coupled with “deep learning”.

“The Referendum campaign didn’t just ask people to vote for constitutional change: it created millions of conversations,” she told AAP.

“People who have never thought about certain parts of Australia’s history, or about how power is distributed, or about who makes decisions for First Nations people, are now having these important conversations.”

Uluru Dialogue co-chairs Pat Anderson and Megan Davis said two years on from the referendum, the status quo remains.

“First Nations people still have no voice, and this manifests in the relentless and unyielding gap in disadvantage,” they said in a statement.

“Many mobs are still struggling with the fundamental building blocks of a dignified human life – housing, water, electricity and violence to name a few.”

Ms Davis said despite the pause in momentum at a national level the referendum had changed the landscape of Indigenous affairs in real ways, and communities across the country have spent the past two years regrouping and refocusing.

Part of this refocus are state-based truth-telling and treaty processes, which she said were critical for the future.

Victoria’s Yoorrook Justice Commission, which recently handed down its findings, is a shining example of what truth-telling can look like when it’s taken seriously, she said.

“It has real powers, real accountability, and it’s paving the way for treaty,” she said.

“South Australia’s Voice is another step forward, creating new pathways for representation and local decision-making.”

But this is not consistent across states and territories, with Queensland abandoning a truth-telling inquiry after a change in state government in 2024.

“These processes must be protected from politics, resourced properly, and allowed to do the deep work of healing and truth,” Ms Davis said.

“They’re not just state projects; they’re part of our national story of reckoning and repair.”

But Ms Davis said the referendum loss didn’t close the door on national reform, with the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart, calling for voice, treaty and truth remaining a guide for the future.

“Even though the Voice didn’t succeed at a national level, the truth-telling and treaty work happening across the states can help rebuild the foundation for future reform,” she said.

“Change in this country takes time — decades in our case — but history tells us it always begins with persistence.”

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