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But Aboriginal leaders recall how John Howard, a former conservative prime minister, abolished a commission charged with protecting Aboriginal interests.
但原著領袖回憶起前保守派總理約翰·霍華德是如何廢除一個負責保護原住民利益的委員會的。
Only the constitution can truly protect them, they argue.
他們認為，只有憲法才能真正保護他們。
Mr Albanese has embraced this idea.
艾博年先生接受了這一想法。
For the referendum campaign, his government will draw on a report by Marcia Langton and Tom Calma, two Aboriginal leaders, explaining how the voice would work.
在公投活動中，他的政府將利用兩位土著領導人瑪西婭·蘭頓和湯姆·卡爾馬的一份報告，解釋聲音將如何運作。
They propose a body of 24, chosen by Aboriginal people, to advise the federal government whenever legislation affecting indigenous Australians’ “social, spiritual and economic well-being” is in the works.
他們提議成立一個由原住民挑選的24人團體，在聯邦政府制定影響土著澳大利亞人“社會、精神和經濟福祉”的法律時，向聯邦政府提供建議。
This approach, Mr Albanese argues, would mean policies “are always more effective”.
艾博年認為，這種方法將意味著政策“總是更有效”。
He, too, points to shocking statistics.
他也指出了令人震驚的統計數據。
Aboriginal men die on average 8.6 years earlier than other Australians (for women, it is 7.8 years).
原住民男性的平均死亡年齡比其他澳大利亞人早8.6歲(女性為7.8歲)。
Some critics, including a handful of Aboriginal figures, deride the idea as mere symbolism.
一些批評家，包括一些土著人物，嘲笑這個想法僅僅是象征意義。
Mr Albanese is keen on symbolic gestures: his government’s press conferences now feature the flags used by Australia’s indigenous peoples next to the Australian one.
艾博年熱衷于象征性的姿態：他的政府的新聞發布會現在把澳大利亞土著人民使用的旗幟放在澳大利亞國旗的旁邊。
Yet changing the constitution will not be as easy as unfurling extra flags.
然而，修改憲法不會像展開額外的旗幟那么容易。
The document’s 19th-century framers set a high bar for amendments: a “yes” vote both nationally and in at least four of the country’s six states.
19世紀的憲法起草者對修正案設定了很高的標準:在全國范圍內以及六個州中的至少四個州，都要投贊成票。
Just eight of 44 proposed changes have passed in 121 years.
在121年的時間里，44項擬議的改革中只有8項獲得通過。
There are some hints, however, of bipartisan political support.
然而，有一些跡象表明，兩黨在政治上獲得了支持。
The conservative opposition seems to have warmed slightly to the Uluru Statement since leaving government.
保守的在野黨在離開政府后，似乎對“烏魯魯聲明”有所好感。
Julian Leeser, its Aboriginal affairs spokesman, has publicly supported a constitutional voice.
原住民事務發言人朱利安·利澤公開支持憲法話語權。
Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, is more vague.
反對黨領袖彼得·達頓則更加含糊其辭。
The election result that swept Labor to power in May suggests Australians are tired of the culture wars that prevailed under nine previous years of conservative government.
工黨在5月份大選中獲勝，這表明澳大利亞人已經厭倦了過去九年保守派政府執政期間盛行的文化戰爭。
Penny Wong, the foreign minister, even talks of a “First Nations approach to foreign policy”.
外交部長黃英賢甚至談到了“第一民族外交政策”。
Mr Albanese is optimistic that a referendum will pass.
艾博年樂觀地認為，公投將會通過。
As he puts it, “If not now, when?”
正如他所說，“如果不是現在，那是什么時候呢？”
