A record number of Australians are enrolled to vote ahead of the upcoming referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
The estimated national enrolment rate is 97.5 per cent, up from 97.1 per cent at the end of 2022, the Australian Electoral Commission says.
This means the 2023 referendum will have the best baseline for democratic participation than any federal electoral event in Australian history.
Yes campaigner and Kaurareg, Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man, Thomas Mayo welcomed the news.
"It indicates that Indigenous people are looking forward to this opportunity to be recognised with the voice, to be able to influence the decisions that are made about them all the time, many kilometres away in Canberra," said Mayo.
Mayo added the "hard work" of the leaders of the referendum working and engagement group was starting to pay off.
"We have done a lot of work, meeting with the AEC and being straight up with them about how they need to do a much better job and it hasn't been good enough in the past," said Mayo.
Mayo said there is still a lot more work to do and highlighted the challenges First Nations people in remote communities face with accessing polls.
"It's great to hear that there's more enrolments, but now we've got to see that access to the polls," said Mayo. "It's such an important moment for Indigenous people, for all Australians, and we need to make sure everyone has the opportunity to vote and to vote in an informed way about what a unifying thing this is and what a practical thing it is to help us get better outcomes."
Enrolments for First Nations people and Northern Territorians are above 90 per cent for the first time ever.
There are 60,000 more First Nations people enrolled than there were at the end of last year.
Young Australians between 18 and 24 years old have also reached their highest enrolment rate - at 90.3 per cent, up from 87.6 per cent six months ago.
Commissioner Tom Rogers said Australians should be proud of the results which were nothing short of a "modern democratic miracle".
"If Australia's enrolment is not the best in the world, it'd be incredibly close - my international counterparts are often flabbergasted at how we get enrolment so high," he said.
"Enrolment continues to go up nationally, every state and territory's enrolment rates are at - or near - record highs, traditionally lower enrolled sections of society have their enrolment rates keep going up.
"It's a phenomenal success story."
The referendum on whether to enshrine an Indigenous voice into the constitution is due to take place in the final quarter of this year.
