Voice leaders special message to undecided voters ahead of history-making referendum

Voice advocates and opponents are sharpening up their closing arguments on the tail end of a bruising campaign.

Leading Yes campaigners are issuing their final pleas to undecided voters less than two days before the referendum.

Voice architect Professor Megan Davis said one-in-four Aussies have yet to make up their minds and there was ‘no doubt’ the Yes campaign was the underdog.

“The No campaign continues to underestimate the Australian people, they know when they are being misled and out here on the ground we are having so many positive conversations,” Professor Davis spoke via video message on Thursday.

“Aussies know that this idea came from First Nations people, not politicians, they know the idea for the Voice comes from a place of love and for a desire to move all Australia’s forward into a better future together.”

On Saturday, millions will vote on whether to change the Australian Constitution to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Picture: William West/AFP.

“This campaign is far from over and we’re ready to bring it home.”

As Saturday’s vote day nears closer both Yes and No campaigners have ramped up messaging in efforts to sway the considerable minority of voters yet to make up their minds.

According to the most recent polls, a majority oppose enshrining an Indigenous Voice in Australia’s constitution with the number of ‘soft’ voters - people on either side - sitting anywhere between 8 to 12 per cent.

Speaking at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Senator Pat Dodson said voting No is to “say no to the recognition of (First Nations) peoples” and to deny them “a rightful place in our Constitution and to deny them an advisory body that can talk to the parliament.”

“Who are we going to think of ourselves as on October 15 after the vote?” Senator Dodson asked. Picture: Martin Ollman/NCA NewsWire.

Leading No campaigner Senator Jacinta Price said she will feel a “sense of relief” once the vote is over and indicated she will set her focus on pushing for a probe into the funding of Indigenous organisations.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe, a key figure for progressive opponents of the Voice, she would consider it a victory if the referendum was defeated.

“If legislation comes into that parliament, saying that they want to set up another advisory body and it’s going to be fully representative of the people, as long as we’re not in that Constitution, I’ll support it,” she told ABC on Thursday.

Senator Price said there would be a “lot of work” to pull the country back together again. Picture: Philip Gostelow/NCA Newswire.

According to the Australian Electoral Commission, nearly half of the votes for the Voice are expected to be cast by 6pm on Friday.

For the referendum to succeed, it requires a majority in at least four of the six states as well as a national majority.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said earlier this week that would not concede defeat before voting officially concludes on Saturday.

Millions of voters will be asked to vote Yes or No on a single question on October 14.

The question on the ballot paper will be: “A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?