The referendum in Australia that aimed to recognize Indigenous people in the constitution and create an Indigenous body called the Voice to Parliament was defeated. The referendum asked Australians to write "Yes" or "No" on the ballot paper, and early results suggested that most of the countrys 17.6 million registered voters had written "No" on their ballots. The "No" campaigns gained momentum with slogans that appealed to voter apathy and a host of other statements designed to instill fear, according to experts, including that it would divide Australia by race and be legally risky, despite expert advice to the contrary. Some members of the Indigenous community said they didnt want to be part of a settler document, demanding more than a body that gives the government non-binding advice. The cost of the referendum was estimated to be about $450 million, and there will be no change to the constitution. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the defeat of the referendum "is not the end of the road" for attempts to address the disadvantages facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.