As Australia continues to find alternative ways to close the gap for Indigenous Australians after the failure of The Voice Referendum in 2023, UNSW research shows that while 84% of Australians believe knowing First Nations histories is important, only 45% rate their knowledge as fairly high or very high. It was this lack of understanding that derailed support for The Voice, academics from UNSW say.
UNSW Professor Heidi Norman and Senior Research Fellow Anne Maree Payne say the referendum exposed a gap between historical scholarship and public understanding.
Speaking this month at UNSW’s Diversity Festival at the First Nations Research Showcase, Professor Norman says that while Australian historians have documented dispossession and survival, that knowledge is not reaching the majority of the general public.
“Research participants reported that education remains inconsistent, with many Australians reporting that they know little about Aboriginal history,” she said.
Senior Research Fellow Payne says only 14% of Australians cite school education or research as their main source of information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. By comparison, 37% cite mainstream media and 32% personal experience.
“There is a real need for resources that are accessible and promoted well such as reading lists, websites and other reliable sources of information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories,” she said. “Workplace events involving First Nations presenters also provide important opportunities for learning directly from First Nations people.”
Prof. Norman is a leading researcher in the field of Aboriginal political history and a descendant of the Gomeroi people from northwestern NSW. Dr Payne is a Senior Research Fellow in the Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group, School of Humanities & Languages, Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, UNSW Sydney.
Discover innovative First Nations-led research underway across UNSW at the UNSW First Nations Research Showcase on Friday 25 September at the Kensington Campus as part of the 2026 Diversity Festival.
Researchers from the Centre for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures (CIEHF), the Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group (ILJ) and Nura Gili will deliver six 10-minute lightning presentations showcasing current research and creating opportunities for connection and collaboration.
Prof. Norman and Dr Payne will be speaking at the event. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and meet presenters over a light lunch.
Click here for bookings and details.
UNSW’s annual Diversity Festival Diversity Festival 21–25 September will be an unmissable week of free events and performances celebrating diversity and sparking bold conversations about equity, inclusion and belonging. See the full program at Diversity Festival 2026 | Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - UNSW Sydney
Contact details:
Larissa Chinwah
Mob: 0452229349. Email: [email protected].