A Yes vote in the Indigenous Voice to parliament referendum could help see the burden of Australian history “lifted off our shoulders”, Anthony Albanese said, as he reached out to women to help achieve the first change to the Constitution in nearly 50 years.

Seeking to replicate Labor’s success at last year’s federal election with the 50.7 per cent of the population who are female, Mr Albanese invoked the Matildas’ historic World Cup campaign on Friday, saying the Voice would help make the country even better.