The head of a Hunter-based Aboriginal land council says she is "feeling positive" that Australians will vote for the Voice to Parliament, despite the referendum debate being "hijacked" for political purposes.
Five days before polling day and with more than a quarter of voters having cast their ballots already, opinion polls show the referendum question heading for defeat.
But Mindaribba chief executive officer Tara Dever said "there is absolutely no point in feeling negative" about the historic vote.
"I think the majority of Australians are good people, and they really want us and their children and all of our grandchildren to walk together into the future. This is how we'll do it," she said.
She rejected key aspects of the No campaign, including that an Indigenous Voice to Parliament would divide the nation.
"Ultimately, it is a powerless voice. It is a way of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people being able to talk to people that are making decisions for us at the top.
"It is no different to a lobbyist for a mining company.
"This lobby group represents all the nations across the country that were here prior to contact.
"There's nothing that divides the country in that."
Ms Dever said opposition to the Voice from Indigenous Northern Territory senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Liberal colleague Nyunggai Warren Mundine was "fuelling racism".
"This is a social justice issue. This is not political. This has been made political by a few politicians. They're being divisive. It is not the broader community that is being divisive," she said.
"I think if people locally were actually talking to local people about what they thought, to Wonnarua elders living in Maitland and Cessnock, those elders would tell you they're supportive of the Voice.
"That's what you would hear from us here.
"But instead people are going, 'Here's this one senator from the Territory and we will listen to her,' or 'Here's one person who wants to be a senator, and we'll listen to him.
"I think people are grabbing on to things they want to grab on to to make them feel like they're supported in their decision."
University of Newcastle academic Amy Maguire, an associate professor in international law and human rights, said a no vote would be "corrosive of trust" between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
"It will reinforce a lack of trust which is already there," Dr Maguire said.
"For First Nations peoples, at least some of them will fairly interpret a no outcome as reflective of racism.
"One of the reasons for that is the proposition being so low in ambition. All that's being requested is a better form of advisory body and one that is secured against abolition at the whim of a change of government."
Ms Dever said First Nations people in the Hunter were "all targeted" during the referendum debate.
"We keep coming back with love. Many of the people who are supporting the yes vote are dealing with that with love.
"There's definitely an underbelly of people that are not happy. They're breaking signs and spray-painting things and doing awful things, to their neighbours, really.
"I have very little time for that racist no. There are two nos. There's a no of sovereignty and there's the no of racism, and the racist no is unfortunately fuelled by politicians."
Mindaribba recently lost $40,000 in federal funding for its Aboriginal pre-school.
Ms Dever said the Voice to Parliament would help Indigenous groups be heard.
"We're the largest Aboriginal organisation in the area that we represent, and we unfortunately fight every day to secure things that other groups secure very easily, particularly missionary groups.
"I'm not trying to be negative to those people ... but they have a lot more cultural capital when they come to this space and financial capital."
She said a failed referendum would damage efforts to improve living standards for Aborigines all over Australia, including in areas such as education and neonatal health.
"People talk about closing the gap, and people think we're talking about a gap only in certain parts of Australia.
"We're actually not. These things are happening right here in the Hunter Valley.
"Will it be detrimental? Yes, it could be 30 years or 50 years before this comes around again. That's the sad part."
Asked if she expected a strong yes vote in the Hunter, Ms Dever said: "I hope so. I truly hope so. That's my hope. I have to be positive.
"We have good people. We have intelligent people. The Hunter Valley is an amazing place. I think at the end of the day we'll get a good outcome because people care about each other.
"The catchcry for Australia is we're the land of the fair go. Well, this is about having a fair go. This is about providing a fair go for everyone."
