Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum: No campaigners confident they can win over undecided voters

The federal opposition's spokesperson on Indigenous affairs Jacinta Price says she believes the Voice to Parliament would split the country

The federal opposition's spokesperson on Indigenous affairs Jacinta Price says she believes the Voice to Parliament would split the country Source: AAP / RICHARD WAINWRIGHT

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With the referendum date set, the Yes and No camp on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament have ramped up their campaigns - preparing for a tense six-week run to the polls. Those campaigning for the No vote view their task as a David and Goliath battle - but have confidence they'll win over undecided voters.


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TRANSCRIPT

With 45 days to go, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has a simple message on behalf of the No campaign.

"Division, Division, Division, that's basically what this referendum is about. It's been this since the beginning; and this is the decision that Australians are going to have to make now on October 14."

No campaigner Warren Mundine, the chair of a group calling itself Recognise a Better Way, says he sees t he Indigenous Voice to Parliament as an elitist solution.

"We are here about building a liberal democracy of freedoms and liberties and equality, not dividing our nation by race. And I will swear on my father and mother's grave that I will fight this, and I will be out there every day."

Senator Price is skeptical of the body's impact on the remote communities she represents.

She says with Indigenous MPs, there is no need for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

"It is wrong to suggest we have not had a voice. Voices like mine, elected parliamentarians, voices like my good friend Warren Mundine, are speaking up. We are telling this prime minister our voices are relevant, the voices of those indigenous people in this country who we represent who do not support this, who did not participate in the uluru dialogues, have spoken up."

The No Campaign is backed by the federal opposition leader Peter Dutton.

He says he is concerned that the Yes campaign has more resources than the No campaign.

 "There's no question that this will be a tight vote because the Yes campaign, thanks to the unions and big business bosses, has somewhere between 50 and 150 million dollars."

A separate push against the Voice is coming from those who want a Treaty at a national level between the federal government and Indigenous Australians.

Independent Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe says she is part of a Blak Sovereign Movement that wants to see a stronger action on Indigenous land rights.

Sam Wiropa Watson is an Aboriginal activist living in Brisbane.

"It's an insult that we're being offered in an advisory body, when what we really deserve is land rights, self-determination, and full recognition of our sovereignty."

The task for No Campaigners is in some respects, easier.

Just three individual states need to vote against the Voice - to defeat the referendum proposal.

And opponents of the proposal say they believe they have the numbers for a No vote to prevail in Western Australia and Queensland.

Campaigning in Tasmania, Senator Price says support for the Voice in the state has dropped.

"Tasmania is now trending towards the No. We're very pleased with that because we know that our hard work has been paying off. The fact that also Australians are becoming more informed with this debate."

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull knows all too well the difficulty in achieving a successful referendum outcome.

He led the unsuccessful push for a republic at the 1999 referendum.

"Listen, let's be honest, Referendum's historically are very easy to beat, right. But you'll never, you'll never make the change unless you have a go at it. "

In 2017, as Prime Minister, Mr Turnbull rejected the Voice on grounds a referendum would fail, but six years later he's pushing for a different outcome.

"Communities have stuck with this as their singular focus for six years, I think we need a very good reason to say no, and my conclusion is that we should be saying yes. So yes I've changed my mind about it - and that is why I am supporting it."

MPs across the political spectrum gathered in a show of unity for the Yes campaign.

In Sydney's Kings Cross, Mr Turnbull was joined by Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek and independent MP Allegra Spender.

In Melbourne, Greens leader Adam Bandt stood next to Labor minister Bill Shorten, putting aside political disagreements to speak to commuters during the morning rush.

"This is a chance for everyday people right across the country to make a really meaningful change that will take an important step towards first nation's justice."

And you can find comprehensive information about the referendum visiting the SBS Voice Referendum portal at

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