All eyes on South Australia for Voice referendum date announcement

The date of the Voice referendum will be announced in the must-win state of South Australia with Anthony Albanese to trigger a six-week campaign sprint.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will announce the date of the referendum in Adelaide next week. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Sam Ruttyn

The date of the Voice referendum will be announced in the must-win state of South Australia with Anthony Albanese to trigger a six-week campaign sprint expected to end in a vote on October 14.

It is understood the Prime Minister will join prominent Voice supporters in Adelaide mid-next week to launch the campaign blitz, which the yes side is hoping will turn their fortunes around after months of declining support in the polls.

The location choice confirms South Australia’s status as a referendum decider, with both sides of the Voice debate certain the result in the comparatively smaller state will determine the overall outcome.

On Tuesday night Mr Albanese confirmed he would announce the date of the referendum “next week”.

“Every Australian will have the opportunity to vote yes for a practical, positive difference in people’s lives,” he said. 

PM Anthony Albanese joined ultra-marathon runner Pat Farmer in Sydney for some of his 14,000km run around Australia in favour of the Voice. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Sam Ruttyn

“I will be campaigning for constitutional recognition, because if not now, when?”

Advance director Matthew Sheahan has been upfront about the anti-Voice group’s strategy of securing a no vote in three states to prevent the double majority required to win a referendum.

The yes campaign has the tougher task of winning both a majority of the national vote, as well as at least four of the six states to successfully change the constitution.

Internal polling from both sides has placed Queensland in the no camp for some time, while a messy debate over now-scrapped Indigenous heritage laws in Western Australia is seen to have been the death knell for the Voice in that state.

Yes campaigners believe they are on track for a positive result in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania, though the latter island state is still in the sights of no campaigners.

This leaves South Australia as the ultimate battleground state of the referendum.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit Adelaide to announce the Voice referendum date. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Sam Ruttyn

Avoiding multiple football finals, parliamentary sitting weeks and the wet season in Northern Australia has made October 14 the favoured date for the poll, which must be held no later than December.

Sources have estimated the no campaign will spend some $10 to $12 million during the formal campaign with ads mostly targeting lineball states like South Australia and Tasmania, while the yes campaign is likely to splash up to $25m across the country as it seeks to secure both the national vote and individual states.

Mr Albanese on Tuesday joined ultra-marathon runner and former Liberal MP Pat Farmer for some of the Sydney leg of his 14,000km run around Australia in support of the Voice.

The Prime Minister said the referendum question was “very clear,” and would lead to recognition of First Nations people with a committee through which they could offer advice to government.

“The clauses which are there are legally sound, they will not interfere with the way that the government operates on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

“Our Parliament will still be in total control of its destiny.”

Once the date is confirmed all households will be mailed a pamphlet outlining the yes and no cases.

Similar to a general election, Australians will be able to apply for a postal vote, attend a pre-poll or a polling station on the day.

The ballot paper will ask voters to write either “yes” or “no” to the question asking if a Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice should be enshrined in the constitution.

Originally published as All eyes on South Australia for Voice referendum date announcement