Warren Mundine says treaties are more likely if Voice referendum fails

Treaties with Indigenous Australians are “more likely” to be negotiated if the Voice referendum fails, leading no campaigner Warren Mundine has declared.

Yes supporters marched in major cities around Australia on Sunday. Picture: Roni Bintang/Getty Images

Treaties with Indigenous Australians are “more likely” to be negotiated if the Voice referendum fails, leading opponent Warren Mundine has declared exposing a “split” in the No camp four weeks out from the vote.

As the division over treaty emerged within the anti-Voice campaign, more than 200,000 yes supporters marched in capital cities across the country on Sunday, while both Liberal and Labor party officials turn their attention and resources to October 14.

It can be revealed an official call-out has been issued to Victorian Liberals interested in travelling interstate to campaign against the Voice, while members of Labor’s national executive have set up in Sydney to assist with yes camp logistics.

Monday marks Australians’ final chance to enrol to vote or update their electoral roll details, with pre-poll voting due to open in two weeks.

Meanwhile Mr Mundine has broken with No campaigners’ repeat claims the Voice would lead to treaty because the Uluru Statement from the Heart calls for Voice, treaty and truth.

Thousands walked in Melbourne in support of the Voice referendum. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Valeriu Campan

He has instead insisted voting down the referendum was the pathway toward settling issues of “sovereignty” and recognising First Nations’ culture and land rights.

Mr Mundine replied “yeah” when specifically asked if he believed a No vote was “more likely” to lead to treaties, as he felt a Voice would instead be a layer of bureaucracy that would undermine treaty work.

Warren Mundine: Uluru Statement from the Heart a ‘ploy to grab power’

“On the 15th of October if there is a No vote, that’s when the real work starts,” he told ABC’s Insiders program.

This was in stark contrast to fellow no campaigner Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who has opposed treaty, saying “you can’t have treaty with your own citizens”.

No campaign spokesman Warren Mundine says no vote will lead to treaties. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Mundine also revealed he had asked anti-Voice campaigner Gary Johns, who has called for Indigenous people to take blood tests to access welfare, and suggested Aboriginal people “learn English” if they wanted a Voice, to step back from public debate.

“You notice … that some people aren’t talking any more,” Mr Mundine said.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus attended the Melbourne march supporting the Yes23 campaign and said there was clearly a “split” in the No campaign because they had “no solutions” to reduce Indigenous disadvantage.

“We know that we will get practical outcomes with a Voice,” he said.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said if Mr Mundine had been “serious” about tackling racism, Mr Johns would have been “sacked months ago”.

Campaign insiders estimate the yes camp will have about 50,000 volunteers actively involved during pre-poll and on referendum day, while the no side will have about 15,000 – bolstered by support from local Liberal and Nationals branches.

On Friday an email sent to Liberal Party members in the Victorian division included a call-out for anyone interested in travelling interstate to “assist” with the no campaign.

It is understood there is a particular focus on getting mainland Coalition volunteers down to Tasmania, where the Liberal state government actually backs the Voice.

With polls suggesting Queensland and Western Australia are lost causes for the Yes camp, attention is turning to South Australia and Tasmania as a No result in either state would kill off the double majority needed to win a referendum.