MELBOURNE: Protes­ters rallied on Saturday against the disproportionate number of Aboriginal Australians dying behind bars, highlighting their plight as the nation prepares for a historic Indigenous rights referendum.

Aboriginal Australians are among the most heavily incarcerated ethnic groups on the planet, according to official figures, and are far more likely to die in state custody than members of the general population.

The many disparities faced by Aboriginal communities have been put under the spotlight ahead of next weekend’s referendum, which will decide if Indigenous Australians are recognised in the constitution for the first time.

The proposal — dubbed the Indigenous Voice to Parliament — would also give First Nations peoples a greater say in national policymaking. Despite being backed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a string of high-profile celebrities and some of the country’s biggest businesses, recent polls suggest the so-called Voice is likely to fail.

Some Indigenous activists see the referendum as a compromise solution that does not go far enough to address historical wrongs.

With national debate increasingly dominated by the Oct 14 vote, the Black Sovereign Movement is instead urging the country to focus on more pressing issues — such as Indigenous deaths in custody.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2023