Yes and No pamphlets revealed as race to Voice referendum heats up

The first look at the official Yes and No campaigns for the Voice referendum is here with both sides revealing their pamphlets. Which side are you on? Vote in our poll.

The official pitches for and against an Indigenous Voice to parliament can now be revealed ahead of being distributed to millions of Australian households in the lead up to the referendum.

Interlaced with quotes from prominent Indigenous Australians, including footy star Johnathan Thurston and filmmaker Rachel Perkins, the Yes pamphlet attempted to quash fears the Voice could overreach its intended powers.

“Legal experts have made it clear that the Voice will not have the power to prevent, delay or veto laws or decisions. The Voice is about advice,” it said.

They honed in on the “practical” ways the Voice could help by pointing out confronting statistics including the fact that Indigenous Australians have significantly worse outcomes for suicide, disease, and infant mortality.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is confident in the Voice despite ad polling. Picture: Martin Ollman

“The Voice will give advice on key issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, from better infant health to improving services in remote areas. Parliament and Government will still be responsible for all laws, programs and funding,” the pamphlet said.

The No case is expected to tell voters that the government’s proposal is a “risky” and “divisive” scheme that lacks detail and has the potential to be “a first step to reparations and compensation and other radical changes.”

The No case will also reprise a key slogan of the case against the 1999 Republic referendum, warning Australians, “If you don’t know, vote no”.

“Enshrining a Voice in the Constitution for only one group of Australians means permanently dividing our country,” the No campaign will tell Australians.

“It creates different classes of citizenship through an unknown body that has the full force of the Constitution behind it. Many Indigenous Australians do not support this.”

Johnathan Thurston was quoted in the Yes pamphlet. Picture: Glenn Campbell

According to the No pamphlet, “You wouldn’t buy a house without inspecting it or a car without test driving it. Yet you are being asked to vote to change our Constitution without details.”

The No case will also warn that while there is no guarantee that the Voice will help Indigenous Australians, the lack of detail means that “no issue is beyond its scope.”

“This is a very important decision. Unfortunately, the legitimate questions and concerns of many Australians have been dismissed,” it will warn.

Australians will be stuck waiting longer after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ruled out revealing the date of the referendum — which could be held as soon as October — at the Garma festival in early August where many had expected it to be announced.

He cited fatigue from “very long campaigns” as the reason for the delay in revealing the date of the first referendum to be held since 1999.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has been vocal about The Voice. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Glenn Campbell,

“The date will be between October and December. I don’t plan to announce the date at Garma because that’s just in a couple of weeks and there needs to be at least 33 days notice of the referendum campaign,” he told Sky News.

Mr Albanese remained steadfast in his belief that the referendum would succeed despite the yes vote taking a tumble in polls over recent weeks.

He undermined the No camp’s case by arguing that the opposition campaign was riddled with “disparate views” ranging from conservative senator Pauline Hanson to independent senator Lidia Thorpe — with both voting no for very different reasons.

“The Yes campaign is a coherent argument that’s been worked on by people from the Labor Party, from the Liberal Party, from the crossbenchers who’ve all come together to endorse the Yes wording that will go out to the population.”