Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been accused of spreading misinformation about the Indigenous voice, as talks on the proposal continue.
The lower house will resume debate on the Indigenous voice in parliament on Tuesday, as MPs consider the form of the constitutional change.
Parliament will decide on the wording of the question to be put to the public at the referendum, along with the proposed changes to the constitution itself, should the referendum succeed.
Australians will go to the polls at the referendum at some point between October and December this year.
Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney has characterised the opposition leader as spreading misinformation about the proposal.
“This is not a decision or a plaything of politicians. It is a decision of the Australian people,” she said.
“We have just heard, in (Mr Dutton’s) speech, every bit of disinformation and misinformation and scare campaigns that exist in this debate.”
Mr Dutton said the proposed Indigenous voice to parliament will take the country backwards, labelling it a reckless roll of the dice and an “overcorrection”.
“It will have an Orwellian effect where all Australians are equal, but some Australians are more equal than others,” Mr Dutton said.
“This referendum on the voice will undermine our quality of citizenship. It’s an overcorrection.”
Debate on the voice in parliament follows the release of a parliamentary committee report on the bill, which recommended it pass without changes.
The lower house is not expected to vote on the voice bill until next week, when debate will then move to the Senate.
The government hopes the bill will be able to pass parliament by June, putting into effect the timeline for the referendum to be held.
The Liberals support constitutional recognition for Indigenous people but in the form of a legislated body for regional voices, rather than a national entity.
But Liberal MP Bridget Archer flagged her intention to support the voice, arguing it would be more than just a symbolic body.
“This referendum provides an incredible chance to begin writing so many wrongs and to bring about tangible differences in quality of life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” she said.
“Most Australians agree that the status quo isn’t acceptable and that as a country, we must do better. Here’s our chance.”
-AAP
