This one is far more complex than a simple yes or no could resolve or explain. The article makes it sound simple. I voted Yes but with mixed feelings, Warren Mundine who is mentioned in the article as a leading 'No' leader is a passionate aboriginal man and was against it as other key leaders were, some thought it should be regional not central, some though these committees had failed in the past and been disbanded so useless, some thought it didn't go far enough etc etc.
There is bi-partisan support and no issue to anyone with recognising First Nations people in the constitution, that would have been easily done, Australia is no more racist than Britain or any other country and this is a non issue as everyone here believes jumping on that bandwagon. However this recognition proposal was tied into the set up of a new permanent body (The Voice) which would advise govt on policies & this was the tricky bit for many (most) for a variety of reasons.
Some felt it was extra bureaucracy when state & federal govt bodies exist already, some felt the existing parliamentary system should work harder not be circumvented, there was no detail on it's make up or who would be elected into it, there is no one aboriginal group - there are many with different languages, cultures, needs eg: city v country v remote etc so who was it for, some felt it could cause issues and a focal point for conflict and division if its advice was ignored or rejected by the normal workings of parliament, many immigrant populations (from all over the disadvantaged world) felt they had done it tough and lifted themselves up so why can't they, others felt the issues of disadvantage for remote communities are well known already so why is a special committee going to come up with anything new.
I don't think it was a rejection of aboriginal people or their issues, it was a rejection of a particular mechanism and the complexities of a difficult problem. As I say I voted yes as I thought it was the right thing to do but still thought the Voice component was going to be problematic and not solve anything.
BTW Australia has a Labour (Labor) govt and all the key State govt's are Labor.