The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) Chief Elections Analyst, Antony Green, has projected a result on how the nation feels regarding an Indigenous Voice to Parliament - and the resounding vote is No.
On October 14, all Australians made their vote, with the result being confirmed shortly after.
READ MORE: Australia voted No for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. So what happens now?
Announcing the No verdict, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted the Yes campaign had given it their all.
"When you do the hard things, when you aim high, sometimes you fall short. And tonight we acknowledge, understand and respect that we have," he said.
"Just as the Uluru Statement from the Heart was an invitation extended with humility, grace and optimism for the future, tonight we must meet this result with the same grace and humility. And tomorrow we must seek a new way forward with the same optimism.
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"I never imagined or indeed said that it would be easy. Very few things in public life worth doing are. Nor could I guarantee the referendum would succeed. History told us that only eight out of 44 [referendums] had done so. What I could promise was that we would go all in. That we would try. And we have."
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said it is a result that is disappointing but one to be respected.
"For many, today is a day of sadness. This result is not what we hoped for," she said.
"I know this outcome will be hard for some, but achieving progress is never easy, and progress doesn't always move in a straight line. There are breakthroughs and heartbreaks, but I am confident that because of this campaign and the millions of conversations it has sparked, the renewed generation of Indigenous leaders will emerge."
Data suggested that support for the Voice among First Nations Australians was approximately at 80 per cent.
With this in mind, today's No result has been met with a lot of sadness from a decent cross-section of the country - both among the Indigenous and non Indigenous population.
Reflecting on the referendum, former Olympian and Senator Nova Peris described the result as "gut-wrenching".
"It's a really sad indictment. As an educated Aboriginal person who has travelled the world through my sports and education, we can wake up and I have a life that I can live. But the disadvantage of our people, the suffering in the lucky country, 2023, it is disgusting," she told NITV's The Point.
So what happens now with a No result?
The concern among Yes advocates has been that little will be championed or done to improve the lives of Indigenous people. Nor will active steps be taken to close the gap between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians.
As Indigenous leader Marcia Langton said at a recent Press Club conference: "I fear a No vote will be interpreted - and falsely, I should say - as a mandate for governments to do nothing and to make our lives worse.
"I think that's the greatest danger. I also fear that a No vote will be perceived, and again, I say falsely, as a mandate for not establishing consultative bodies."
In response to the result, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton thanked the No campaign and its advocates for their work.
"It is clear, obviously, that the referendum has not been successful, and I think that is good for our country," Dutton said.
"At all times in this debate, I have levelled my criticism at what I consider to have been a bad idea - to divide Australians based on their heritage or the time at which they came to our country. The Coalition, local Australians, wants to see Indigenous disadvantage addressed. We just disagree on the Voice being the solution."
He has promised that if the Coalition is reelected, he will hold a second referendum regarding his alternate proposal, which is more symbolic than constitutionally enshrined.
As for what comes next, time will tell. You can read our full explainer here.
The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line is 13YARN on 13 92 76.
Featured Image: AAP.
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