key points
- The Opposition leader has drawn criticism for the move.
- Mr Dutton also sent an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this month.
- "My job is to question him and hold him to account," he said.
Peter Dutton says his refusal to indicate support for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament "isn't a question of attack" as the debate surrounding the proposed advisory body continues to pick up.
The Opposition leader has drawn criticism for continuing to call on the government to provide more details before the referendum, with constitutional lawyers saying there would be "real problems" giving voters a proposed bill before a vote.
Mr Dutton also sent an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this month with 15 questions surrounding the Voice to Parliament, although the answers to many of them appeared in Tom Calma's and Marcia Langton's report into the proposed advisory body.
"What I have done is ask for detail of the voice, and I don't know how that's an attack," he told Nine on Friday.
"I'm speaking for millions of Australians when we say if we're being asked to change the most important document in our country, the constitution.
"It's been the underpinning of the success and stability of our democracy and our form of government for many decades since Federation and Australians don't change that lightly.
"My job is to question him and hold him to account."
Constitutional lawyer Anne Twomey on Thursday said the point of the referendum was to put the Voice into the constitution ahead of the parliamentary process to flesh out the details.
"There would be real problems if you did it in advance and gave (voters) the bill and said 'This is what's going to happen' and that people would think that that is what they're voting on," she told ABC TV.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland was quizzed on Friday as to why the government wouldn't consider sending a pamphlet to Australian households outlining the Yes and No cases for the proposed referendum change.
She said the government was confident Australians would inform themselves.
"We are well aware this is a serious issue that Australians will be participating in this referendum and want to have the best possible information," Ms Rowland told ABC TV.
"It doesn't matter what kind of information is out there; we want to ensure that it is information that does not cause harm to the community in any form.
"We consider the role here in terms of the efficacy of this referendum is best served by the decision we have taken ... I'm also confident, based on the advice that's been given by our expert panels in this area, that we will have a robust referendum."
