1998 Referendum

The 1998 Australian Referendum was a national vote to change the Constitution, primarily to recognize Indigenous Australians and improve governance. It proposed four key amendments: including Indigenous Australians in the census, establishing a Federal Electoral and Indigenous Council, and creating a system for the Parliament to make laws for Indigenous Australians. However, the proposal about recognizing Indigenous Australians was rejected by the majority of voters and most states, meaning the Constitution remained unchanged. The referendum highlighted ongoing debate about Indigenous recognition and the challenges of constitutional change in Australia.