Debate over lack of detail ahead of proposed Indigenous Voice referendum

Anthony Albanese says details about a proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament will not be known before a referendum on the issue.

Speaking on Sunday, the Prime Minister proposed the question to be put to Australians in a referendum will be: “Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?”

There are calls for greater detail about what the change would mean, but Mr Albanese says he wants to avoid a repeat of what happened in the 1999 republic referendum, where people who disagree with one element within the proposal were urged to vote against it.

Neil Mitchell says he fears a lack of information will lead the referendum to fail.

“I fear this referendum could be lost because it is such a vague question,” the 3AW Mornings host said.

But director of From The Heart, the group attempting to secure a constitutionally-enshrined Voice to Parliament,  Dean Parkin, says he’s “very confident by the time people step into the booth on polling day they’ll know exactly what they’re voting on”.

“There will be more work done between now and the referendum to build the education and awareness about what’s being proposed,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“I agree people need to understand a bit more about what this means.”

Mr Parkin says there are four things Australians will want to know before voting: that it’s a simple proposition, that it’s going to make a practical change on the ground, that it’s safe and approved by constitutional experts, and that it’s a unifying step.

Press PLAY below to hear why the From The Heart director isn’t concerned about the lack of detail

Image: Tamati Smith/Getty Images