A group of Gomeroi Yinarr women who have attended the first formal event of a No campaign opposing a Voice to Parliament say it has not contributed to constructive debate.
The forum held in the western NSW city of Tamworth on Friday night was the first stop in a regional speaking tour by the Recognise a Better Way movement, led by former politician and Bundjalung, Gumbaynggirr and Yuin man Warren Mundine.
Former Labor minister Gary Johns, One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson, the federal member for New England and former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, and broadcaster Alan Jones spoke at the event.
Ms Philips said she was neither for nor against the Voice to Parliament because she was still connecting with elders and her community to shape her vote.
She said it was vital for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to lead the conversation about the Voice, and not those who Ms Phillips and her group described as "divisive public figures" who would not "produce critical dialogue about the Voice to Parliament".
"We need to stop letting people like Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson [tell us] about what's best [for] us," she said.
"People need to be informed with truth, and they're going to be looking for Aboriginal leaders to guide people on how to vote and make an informed decision for themselves," Ms Philips said.
All 800 tickets to the free event were snapped up online.
Scores of people from the community and interstate travelled to the event to hear about the No campaign being led by Recognise a Better Way.
West Australian man Michael Darby said he travelled to the east coast mainly to attend last night's event.
He said Indigenous Australians deserved a "fair go" and he wanted to see more done to meet the Close the Gap initiative to improve the lives of First Nations people, but he did not think a Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Australian Constitution was the answer.
"This so-called referendum will undermine our constitution and do nothing to help the people in Australia who deserve help — and that help is overdue," Mr Darby said.
What did people think of the event?
The possibility of protracted legal battles unfolding in the High Court, as well as the Voice to Parliament's power over government decisions, were among the key concerns put forward by the speakers.
Constitutional lawyers remain divided over the potential ramifications of the Voice.
Gomeroi man and Tamworth Regional Councillor Marc Sutherland said there was a mixed reaction to the event from those in attendance.
"I think tonight really highlighted the fact that people have concerns and questions to be answered," he said.
The speakers also argued that enshrining a Voice to Parliament in the Australian Constitution would create further division within the community by prioritising one group of Australians.
Mr Sutherland said views like these were put forward with "really poor use of language" that didn't really help people shape an informed opinion.
But the event resonated with Mick Graham, who made the drive from Taree on the NSW Mid North Coast to hear the reasons behind the No campaign.
He said the arguments put forward helped him make up his mind about the Voice.
"I've heard all I need to know from the No camp — I don't think [Yes vote supporters] can really justify a Yes [vote]," he said.
When asked whether he would attend a yes campaign event, he said his mind was "pretty made up."
'Good to hear both sides'
Tamworth resident Matt Sharpham said listening to Recognise a Better Way movement's reasons for opposing the voice "was really informative".
Like the federal opposition, Mr Sharpham said he did not think there was enough information about how a Voice to Parliament would operate.
"I think it's important people understand what the Voice isn't, because there certainly isn't much about what [it] is," he said.
Tamworth local Amelia-Anne Michell, who was accompanied by her mother to the event, saw it as an opportunity to start educating herself about the proposed Voice to Parliament ahead of the referendum.
"I think it's really good to hear both sides," she said.
"What are the implications if we don't get things right?"
Ms Michell said she intended to go to a future Yes campaign event to learn more about the push for constitutional recognition and the Voice to Parliament.
"I will start to look at the other side of the story, it is really important – absolutely," she said.
