‘Yes’ Campaign Outspent ‘No’ by 2:1 in Referendum to Change the Constitution

Six months after the proposal to give Indigenous Australians a Voice to Parliament was defeated 60:40 in a referendum, the Australian Electoral Commission has revealed who backed the “Yes” and “No” campaigns, with the former spending more than double the amount compared to the latter. In total, the Yes campaign spent nearly $55 million (US$35.8 million) on the referendum, while No campaign groups spent more than $25 million (US$16.27 million). The law requires disclosure of any donations over $15,200 (US$9,894). The biggest pro-Voice spender was Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition, which ran the Yes23 campaign. It spent $43.8 million and received $47.5 million in donations. The University of New South Wales (UNSW), which housed the Uluru Statement from the Heart, received $11.12 million and spent $10.3 million....