Australia looks for new ways to lift Indigenous living standards after referendum loss

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says his government will look for new ways to lift Indigenous living standards after voters soundly rejected a proposal to create a new advocacy committee. Every state and mainland territory apart from Australian Capital Territory on Saturday voted against a proposal to enshrine in the constitution an Indigenous Voice to Parliament to advocate on behalf of the nation’s most disadvantaged ethnic minority. Marles told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Sunday his government remains committed to improving Indigenous welfare to close the eight-year gap in average life expectancies between Indigenous Australians and the wider community.