Australia news LIVE: Indigenous leaders’ lash ‘shameful victory’ of No campaign; Gender inequality costs economy $128 billion

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  • Indigenous leaders’ bitter lesson from Voice campaign
  • Fleeing Gazans live in fear in West Bank
  • This morning’s headlines at a glance
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‘Deep grief and disappointment’ after Voice result: Reconciliation Australia co-chair

Reconciliation Australia co-chair Melinda Cilento says it’s understandable there is “deep grief and disappointment” from Indigenous Australians who supported the Voice to parliament.

In an official statement, those leaders said the majority of Australians “committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not” but not supporting the Voice to parliament.

Cilento said on ABC radio wasn’t able to speak to the statement, but said First Nations leaders saw the referendum as an invitation to walk with them to improve their lives.

Jim Chalmers MP campaigning for the Yes vote before the October 14 date.Credit: Facebook

“I think their grief and deep disappointment is understandable,” she said on RN Breakfast.

“I think the outcome of the referendum was very disappointing. We’d hoped that it was a moment that would bring people together, and clearly it hasn’t done that … it’s been very, very disappointing.”

Cilento said the majority of First Nations Australians supported the referendum, and said there were many dimensions to reconciliation but added that racism facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island needs to be addressed.

But the Reconciliation Australia co-chair said she didn’t believe that reconciliation was dead.

“I understand her [Marcia Langton’s] frustration and her sentiment but as I said, we here at Reconciliation Australia say that there are many dimensions to reconciliation and many things that need to be done.”

Indigenous leaders’ bitter lesson from Voice campaign

Indigenous leaders who supported the Voice to parliament say Australians committed a shameful act that perpetuates colonialism and that the resounding No vote against constitutional recognition shows that meaningful change to the nation’s founding document is impossible.

“The truth is that the majority of Australians have committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not, and there is nothing positive to be interpreted from it,” says an official statement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, community leaders and organisations who supported the Yes campaign.

Indigenous leaders who campaigned for Yes have released a statement pledging to fight for justice.

“A ‘founding document’ without recognition of First Peoples of this country continues the process of colonisation. It is clear no reform of the Constitution that includes our peoples will ever succeed. This is the bitter lesson from 14 October.”

However, the leaders say they will reconvene with supporters to map a path forward to establish “independent of the Constitution or legislation – an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to take up the cause of justice for our people”.

Read the full story here.

Fleeing Gazans live in fear in West Bank

On a basketball court that would usually be filled with the sound of laughter, desolation hangs in the air.

The midday sun is beating down in the West Bank as Palestinian flags flutter in the breeze and white stone apartment buildings loom in the surrounding hills.

Hundreds of Gazans take sanctury in the Ramallah Recreational Complex after being deported or having fled Israel.

This recreational centre in Ramallah – the administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority – now resembles a refugee camp, with mattresses arranged on the ground beside luggage.

The indoor soccer pitch is packed with men sleeping on the ground, some sheltering inside the nets. Those who haven’t secured a spot inside sleep outside.

Read more on the situation from our correspondents who are in Ramallah.

This morning’s headlines at a glance

Good morning, and thanks for your company.

It’s Monday, October 23. I’m Caroline Schelle, and I’ll be anchoring our live coverage for the first half of the day.

Here’s what you need to know before we get started:

  • Indigenous leaders who supported the Voice to parliament say Australians committed a shameful act that perpetuates colonialism at the referendum.
  • Barriers to women fully participating in the workforce are costing the Australian economy $128 billion.
  • Medibank is preparing to trial a four-day working week, dubbing the time off as a “gift” for employees.
  • Specialists believe children’s worsening eyesight is linked to genetics, excessive screens and not enough time outdoors.
  • Governments may have to pour millions of dollars into supporting regional communities that depend on coal-fired power stations as the plants close.
  • A long-serving University of Sydney academic with severe respiratory conditions is facing the sack after the institution refused to let him continue teaching online.
  • Australia’s long-running dispute with China on wine tariffs is close to ending ahead of a trip to Beijing by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
  • And overseas, Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have shelled areas across Ukraine and pushed forward near an embattled eastern city.

Let’s get into it.

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