Linda Burney says the Albanese government remains open to tweaking the wording of the Voice to Parliament referendum if it helps improve the chances of success.
The Minister for Indigenous Australians said the advice to the referendum working group was that the proposed wording was "very sound".
Some critics of the proposed constitutional amendment claim it could force senior bureaucrats and ministers to consult the Voice on as-yet unannounced policy, potentially delaying decision-making.
Ms Burney said her door remained open to anyone with suggestions for amending the wording as part of the six-week committee process.
"Many constitutional lawyers say the words that we've ended up with are very sound," Ms Burney said.
"We are serious about listening, we are serious about getting this right.
"Of course we'll listen to those concerns, the reason why executive government was important particularly to the working group is that many decisions made in government are made by senior bureaucrats.
"The wording hasn't come out of thin air, the government has taken its direction from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously said he didn't believe any change to the proposed wording would bring the opposition around to supporting the Yes campaign.
The suggested addition to the constitution would be:
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
- 1.There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
- 2.The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
- 3.The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.
Opposition calls for immediate action
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has renewed his calls for the federal government to direct its attention to law and order issues in communities like Alice Springs, rather than pushing the Voice to Parliament.
"Lets have an honest conversation in our country about what's happening here," Mr Dutton said.
"Canberra is a million miles away, I say to Prime Minister Albanese, Linda Burney, any of the ministers come here, roll up your sleeves and listen to what people are saying.
"I think the people of Alice deserve to be heard by the PM and he's not listening."
The prime minister visited Alice Springs with several members of his cabinet in January.
Leeser says other resignations unlikely
Former shadow attorney-general and Indigenous Australians minister Julian Leeser, who resigned from his positions on Tuesday, said it was a hard but necessary decision to make.
"I'm conscious of not wanting to let my colleagues down, not wanting to let the team down but ultimately this was a decision that I had to make because of my own principled commitment to the Voice over a very long period of time," he said.
"I wanted to show my children that it's important in politics to stand for the things you believe in even when it costs you."
He also said he doubted any other members of the shadow frontbench would follow his lead.
"I don't suspect that there will be, I've had a unique position in this debate because of my long involvement," he said.
"I was there at the beginning advocating for a way through the constitutional recognition issue that I thought could win support from both constitutional conservatives and Indigenous people."
Mr Dutton said he would announce his reshuffled shadow cabinet in the next week.
"I've got an incredible depth of talent on backbench and joint party room and I'll make an announcement in the next days, week," he said.
Fellow Liberal MP Bridget Archer — who is openly going against her party's position and supporting the Voice — said she believed Mr Leeser's decision could sway conservative voters.
"Julian is also an authentic conservative, and so I think having that combination campaigning actively for a Yes vote will be enormously helpful," she said.
"Particularly to Liberal-minded or conservative-minded voters who are considering what they are going do with the referendum."
She also said she did not find it surprising that he chose to step away from his frontbench roles to support the Voice.
"I think that he has shown an enormous amount of integrity in taking this decision," she said.
Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister and moderate Liberal senator Simon Birmingham told Sky News he has not considered standing aside from the front bench "at this stage".
Senator Birmingham also said he was not planning on campaigning against the Voice and would continue to take counsel from Mr Leeser while considering his approach to the issue.
"I'm hoping that there is still room for some type of consensus to be salvaged out of this situation," he said.
"I've said for a long time, that I don't wish to see an unsuccessful referendum put forward to the Australian people."
