In the recent election for South Australia's state-based First Nations Voice to Parliament, only a small fraction of the eligible voters actually cast their ballots, raising concerns about public awareness and engagement with the new initiative. Premier Peter Malinauskas acknowledged the unexpectedly low participation rate, emphasizing the need to wait for final results before assessing the election's success.
The election, which was voluntary and open exclusively to South Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, followed the defeat of the proposal for a constitutionally-enshrined national Voice to Parliament. Despite the setback, South Australia had already passed legislation to establish its own state-based Voice, but the election was delayed until after the national referendum. Successful candidate April Lawrie, a Mirning and Kokatha woman, highlighted the lingering impact of the federal referendum's failure on the community's perception and engagement with the state Voice election.
April Lawrie, while expressing her excitement about being elected as a representative, stressed the importance of promoting and educating the community about the Voice concept to increase participation and build momentum. She emphasized the significance of this initiative for South Australia as the first jurisdiction to establish a First Nations Voice and urged patience and support from the community to see how it develops. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher praised the election as successful and assured that the Voice was on track, despite uncertainties surrounding its future given its lack of constitutional protection.
While some attributed the low turnout to a lack of mainstream media coverage, elected Voice member Douglas Clinch remained hopeful that as awareness and understanding of the Voice grew, trust and participation would increase. The election, which divided South Australia into six regions, showcased varying levels of engagement, with efforts made to encourage rural and remote communities to participate. Despite the challenges and uncertainties ahead, there is optimism for the future of the South Australian First Nations Voice to Parliament as it prepares to begin its operations later this year.