Gulkula, Arnhem Land | A defiant Anthony Albanese will reject calls to defer the Voice to parliament referendum and will appeal to voters to rally behind him to help Indigenous Australians escape disadvantage.

After months of facing eroding support for his signature reform plan, and following a week of opposition attacks suggesting that he is out of his depth in leading the referendum push, Mr Albanese will use a speech at the Garma festival in the remote Top End on Saturday to reset his campaign for constitutional recognition, due to be decided in October or November.