Gaybourhoods Vote ‘Yes’ to Voice

Following the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum polls, many gaybourhoods and their corresponding electorates have shown a resounding support towards the proposed constitutional change.

Polling from ABC* has seen many queer-friendly and LGBTQI+ populated suburbs project a strong affirming response to the proposed Indigenous Voice.

Many gaybourhoods within Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane have been able to reach a majority ‘yes’ vote among their electorates.

Melbourne

Victoria’s inner city suburbs have seen a majority ‘yes’ vote, with the state holding the most electorates supporting the Voice Referendum.

The Melbourne electorate received the highest rate of ‘yes’ votes across the country, with 77.4% of residents supporting the proposal.

Other known queer-friendly areas, including Footscray and South Yarra, have seen their electorate support the voice – with 56.1% of Fraser residents and 64.1% of Macnamara residents voting ‘yes.’

Melbourne’s adjacent electorates, including Gellibrand, Higgins, Kooyong, Cooper, Wills Jagajaga, and Goldstein, have also projected a ‘yes’ majority.

Sydney

Sydney electorates have seen some of the highest rates of support for the voice.

The Grayndler electorate, comprising many Inner West Council Suburbs including Newtown, has the second highest rate of ‘yes’ votes for a single electorate in Australia with 74.3% voting towards the change.

The Sydney electorate saw 70.9% of residents voting ‘yes’, following Grayndler as the third highest rate of ‘yes’ votes across the country. The electorate includes Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, and Potts Point.

Sydney Eastern Suburbs electorates, Wentworth and Kingsford Smith, have also projected a ‘yes’ majority.

Brisbane

Inner City Suburbs in Brisbane have been the only electorates within Queensland to receive a majority vote.

Just over 56% of Brisbane and Griffith electorate residents voted ‘yes’ to the proposal, respectivley. West End and Fortitude Valley suburbs reside in such electorates.

Neighbouring electorate, Ryan, was the only other electorate in Queensland to reach majority vote, with 52.2% of residents voting ‘yes.’

Despite the support across many major cities, all Australian states have projected a ‘no’ vote, with the Indigenous Voice to Parliament being defeated.

ABC’s* national projections results show 39.4% of the population have voted ‘yes’, and a majority 60.6% have voted ‘no’.

“We must not lose our resolve”

Posting to the campaign’s Facebook page, Yes23 Campaign Director Dean Parkin expressed the campaign group’s “disheartened” reaction to the results.

“This is clearly not the outcome we worked to achieve, and I know many of us will be deeply saddened…by this result,” said Parkin.

“This Referendum represented a promise made to Indigenous Australians for a better future, and it’s a promise we must find a way to keep.”

Expressing the generational heartbreak and pain experienced by Indigenous people, Perkin says love through community is a significant part in moving forward from the result.

“We must not lose our resolve and make sure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are recognised, respected, and listened to; that our communities can live well and live safely as most Australians have the opportunity to do,” said Perkin.

“This was never going to be the last campaign for recognition and justice; it’s yet another chapter in the story of our struggle,” Perkin continued.

“Thank you for taking this stand alongside us, and for walking with us.”

*Current percentages and projections to the time of publication.