The Albanese Government’s proposal to hold a referendum to enshrine a Voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution has sparked intense domestic debate. Much of the debate so far has focused on how such a change could impact executive government. But there’s been little public discussion about how this referendum may affect Australia’s ability to prosecute effective foreign policy in the region, both with traditional allies and in international institutions.

This paper seeks to provide a perspective on the level of international interest in the referendum, and how the result of the vote may be interpreted by the region.