Broken Heart: A True History of the Voice Referendum

(Paperback)

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In late 2023, Australians voted No to recognising Indigenous peoples through a constitutional Voice. Broken Heart unpacks the true complex history of the referendum, illuminating how an alliance with constitutional conservatives fractured under political pressure, and a proposal conceived in compromise got killed by partisan politics. Told from the unique insider perspective of a constitutional lawyer who worked closely with Noel Pearson for over a decade, this book analyses the mistakes of the government and Yes advocates, the fickleness and ultimate intransigence of the right, and the betrayals and lies that led to the referendum's defeat. Broken Heart tells a story of hope and tragedy. But its lessons will assist future reformers and leaders who want to make Australia a better place.

Author Bio

Shireen Morris is director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab and a senior lecturer at Macquarie University Law School. She has worked for many years with Noel Pearson and the Cape York Institute as senior adviser on Indigenous constitutional recognition. Her books include Radical Heart, A Rightful Place and The Forgotten People. She is the co-editor (with Damien Freeman) of Statements from the Soul- Making the Moral Case for the Uluru Statement from the Heart.