Indigenous elders and community leaders are reacting to the weekend's no vote with shock, anger and sadness. Some say it'll be too late for them to see change in their lifetime and they are calling on Australia to do better by the next generation of First Nations peoples.
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00:00 Uncle Wally Stewart is heartbroken. He wanted change.
00:06 That's what a voice is to me. A voice is, you know, it means something.
00:10 And Australia's not ready for us.
00:14 The UN leader is thanking those who helped him campaign for yes, even if it's not the
00:19 result they wanted.
00:23 In his electorate of Eden Monaro on the New South Wales South Coast, more than 60% voted
00:29 against the voice.
00:30 I thought that in this day and age, you know, Australia was ready to accept, you know, Aboriginal
00:36 people.
00:37 In South Australia, where there was a high no vote, Aboriginal leaders working towards
00:43 reconciliation say the debate was toxic.
00:45 I know somebody that was spat on and I think that the underlying behaviour there is racism.
00:52 Regional Australia rejected the voice, leaving many Aboriginal communities deflated.
00:57 And in the bush, where remote communities overwhelmingly voted yes, there's anger.
01:03 You sit in your flash house in the city, but you come out to this community, you will not
01:09 let your dog live in these communities.
01:11 This vote has been devastating for many Indigenous leaders around the country. Even for those
01:17 who voted no, there is now a period of mourning, healing and reflection.
01:22 I think that people are wanting truth telling and they're wanting treaty making or agreement
01:28 making in this country.
01:29 For some, the change will come too late. 89 year old Uncle John Delaney grew up on a mission
01:35 in country New South Wales, under a harsh regime.
01:39 It's been a happy life, it's been a sad life and a disappointing life.
01:43 The Kamilaroi elder knows his people will rise up.
01:46 So we've just got to keep struggling and hopefully generations to come because it will be a generation
01:50 or two before we get another opportunity.
01:52 Hurting, but hopeful for the next generation.
01:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]