In May 1967, more than 90 per cent of Australians voted to delete parts of the Constitution that discriminated against Indigenous Australians.

In June 1991, the House of Representatives unanimously approved the establishment of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.

However, a closer look at both moments reveals cracks in the consensus. In Divided Nation?, Murray Goot and Tim Rowse analyse four emblematic episodes in Australian history, starting with the referendum and ending with reconciliation. How has 'public opinion' on Indigenous issues been represented and what part have those representations played in the political process?

Goot and Rowse expose powerful myths propagated by politicians, journalists and pollsters, and explain how 'the public' has been co-opted in the political process.