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Dominic Giannini

What Australian leaders said about the referendum vote

Every state rejected the proposal to put a non-binding Indigenous advisory body in the constitution. (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)

FEDERAL POLITICIANS REFLECT ON VOICE REFERENDUM

"Australians whether they voted 'yes' or 'no', would see that a situation where a group of our fellow citizens, by virtue of their birth are living shorter and less healthy lives is fundamentally unfair and we need to act to change that."

- Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles

"We now have a unique opportunity to actually stand up, embrace what Australians did vote for and make a difference for the first time ever."

- Shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash

"We want to work with others to find ways to close the gap and to continue to walk down the path of reconciliation."

- Health Minister Mark Butler

"This is not a result about whether Australians support Indigenous people or not, it's a referendum on a particular model of constitutional recognition. We need to recommit to the reconciliation process and I think the one thing that all sides agreed was that Indigenous disadvantage is the top issue."

- Liberal MP and 'yes' campaigner Julian Leeser

"People haven't learned from history about referendums, referendums have to have a bipartisan approach. That's whether you like it or not."

- Leading 'no' campaigner Warren Mundine

"We need the government to recommit to the Uluru statement from the heart in full and that involves beginning a process of truth telling across the country."

- Greens Leader Adam Bandt

"Those in a metro part of Australia clearly voted for 'yes' and then as you move further away from the city, the 'no' campaign won more decisively."

- Election analyst Ben Raue

13YARN 13 92 76

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