Australians look set to vote against Indigenous voice in parliament

Bruising campaigns for and against recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have exposed enduring racial divides

Australians look set to reject a referendum proposal to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution by creating a body to advise parliament, with polls showing a clear majority for no in almost all states before Saturday's vote.

To be accepted, the proposal needs to achieve a majority national vote and a majority in at least four of the six states. No referendum has succeeded in Australia without bipartisan support and this one - the country's first since 1999 - looks no different.