Dr Olivia Evans: Closing the History Gap? Truth-Telling, Public Knowledge, and Reconciliation After the Voice

Abstract

The 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum marked a pivotal moment in contemporary Australian history, revealing deep divisions in public understandings of Indigenous rights, history, and national identity. While debates surrounding the Voice frequently centred on constitutional recognition, they also highlighted broader questions about how Australians understand the nation's past and how those understandings shape attitudes toward reconciliation.

In this presentation, I present findings from a program of research conducted before and after the 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum. First, I will discuss data from a nationally representative survey of non-Indigenous Australians' conducted during the referendum period, which included a test of participants’ historical and constitutional knowledge. The results raise important questions about how informed Australians are about key aspects of Australia’s history, the Constitution, and the issues at stake in debates about recognition and reform. 

I will then present findings from an experiment conducted during the referendum campaign that examined how truth-telling messages shape public attitudes. The study varied both the source of the message (Indigenous or non-Indigenous) and the framing of the message (linking historical injustice to the need for a Voice versus). Rather than providing a simple case for truth-telling, the findings offer a cautionary tale about the challenges of communicating difficult histories in politically contested contexts. 

Together, these studies speak to a critical national question: how can Australia engage in meaningful truth-telling in ways that foster understanding, constructive dialogue, and reconciliation? I conclude by considering lessons from the referendum and discussing evidence-based pathways forward for truth-telling in education, public communication, and policy.

Bio

Dr Olivia Evans is a Gomeroi social psychology researcher and lecturer at The Australian National University in the School of Medicine and Psychology. Her research broadly examines the social, cultural, and political determinants of health, with a particular focus on Indigenous wellbeing, racism, reconciliation, and social change. Most recently, her work has explored public responses to the 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum and evidence-based pathways forward for truth-telling and reconciliation, including leading an Australian Research Council-funded program of research in this area. Alongside her research, Olivia teaches Culture and Psychology at ANU and serves as Psychology Convenor of Indigenous Education and Engagement, where she works to strengthen Indigenous perspectives and engagement within psychology education.