The opposition is raising the stakes on discussions around an Indigenous Voice to Parliament by accusing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of using the issue as a "re-election vanity project".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
However, Mr Albanese has in turn denounced Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of wanting to "create as much confusion" as possible in the debate.
Mr Albanese's comments came ahead of the official national launch of the "yes" campaign in the lead-up to this year's referendum, slated to be held towards the end of the year.
The Prime Minister did not attend the launch, which was a politician-free, community-led event organised by From the Heart and held at the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute in Adelaide on Thursday.
Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is expected to address the Young Liberal Women in Western Australia on Friday, saying Mr Albanese only wants the referendum to succeed "on his terms".
Ms Ley was calling on the Prime Minister to produce details explaining how the Voice would deliver outcomes for Indigenous communities, particularly in Alice Springs and WA.
"Anthony Albanese would rather see the Liberal Party say no and this referendum fail, then the Liberal Party say yes and this referendum succeed," Ms Ley said.
"The only explanation for this continued obfuscation from Anthony Albanese is that he doesn't want to build bipartisan support."
She said "on some days" Labor would say how the Voice would fix the situation in Alice Springs, or advise National Cabinet or Parliament "then on other days we hear it won't".
"So Anthony Albanese, if you are genuine about the Voice succeeding, stop laying traps, stop willing the Coalition to oppose this, stop making it a re-election vanity project," she said.
"Sadly I suspect he is using this referendum as a platform for an early election."
But Mr Albanese said there was already also an "enormous amount of detail" around the Voice.
READ MORE:
It comes as legislation to hold the referendum is to go before Parliament next month, but the Liberals are yet to say if they will support the bill.
"The question is now out there very clearly of what [the referendum] will be: Do you support constitutional recognition [of the] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament?" Mr Albanese said.
"The question and details of the constitutional draft change are there. They're being considered by the constitutional working group."
Mr Albanese said the Voice would be subservient to Parliament, and would consist of three parts, including a constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander as Australia's first people.
The Voice would then represent issues impacting Indigenous people, and its functions and activities would be determined by Parliament.
"The Liberal party are showing - at least, Peter Dutton is showing - that he wants to create as much confusion, and is doing nothing that would indicate that his starting point is: how we work on this together?
"That is my approach. I want to do this together."
Meanwhile, Shadow Education Minister Sarah Henderson told a Universities Australia conference on Wednesday night that educational institutions which publicly supported a yes vote was "indoctrination".
Ms Henderson said there was "no room for activism, campaigning, or personal agendas in Australian educational institutions".
"I am concerned about reports that some states intend to teach only one side of the debate - the yes case - on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament," she said.
"This is not consistent with the national curriculum, including because it compromises the vital role that fostering curiosity and critical thinking plays in the development of every child."