How far has Australia reached Indigenous representation in 25 years?

The year 2023 is the year of the Albanian government's commitment to hold a referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. 20 years ago, the former Howard government finally decided not to do so.

(Original Caption) Sydney Harbour Bridge was closed to traffic for the 4th time since its construction 68 years ago in order to host the reconciliation march. (Photo by John van Hasselt/Sygma via Getty Images) Credit: John van Hasselt - Corbis/Sygma via Getty Images

The Howard Government considered the council's recommendations in 2002, rejecting outright three of them.

With the disclosure of the cabinet papers, ministers felt a national apology was inappropriate, a treaty would be divisive, and the rationale for a referendum had not been made, soon after a similar proposal was rejected by the Australian people in the 1999 referendum.

Seven years after the initial recommendation, a national apology was delivered in 2007 by then-prime minister Kevin Rudd.

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