Indigenous voice wording to be finalised

Anthony Albanese will meet with members of his government’s referendum working group this week before cabinet finalises the constitutional amendment to enshrine an Indigenous voice to parliament.

Anthony Albanese with Senator Patrick Dodson at a Referendum Working Group meeting in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Anthony Albanese will meet with members of his government’s referendum working group this week before cabinet finalises the constitutional amendment to enshrine an Indigenous voice to parliament.

Despite some members of the referendum working group believing their advice to government on the referendum question, constitutional amendment and voice principles was complete and settled, Labor sources said discussions were continuing.

The Australian understands a small delegation of Indigenous leaders will meet with the Prime Minister in Canberra, possibly on Thursday, ahead of federal cabinet and the Labor caucus signing off on the Constitution Alteration Bill next week.

The Senate is expected on Tuesday to pass the referendum machinery bill, which modernises and aligns the act with electoral laws and is required for the public vote to proceed.

Only the Coalition and United Australia Party senator Ralph Babet were planning to oppose the bill, demanding the government agree to establish official campaign organisations and provide funding to them.

“By not having proper structures around this referendum, the government is risking the integrity of the process. How will misinformation be dealt with if there is no official campaign who can speak on behalf of yes or no?” opposition special minister of state Jane Hume told The Australian.

“How is the regulation of social media posts or videos meant to operate when the platform companies don’t know who to call when there is a problem?”

The Australian asked Special Minister of State Don Farrell how misinformation and disinformation would be dealt with during the referendum and if he agreed with Senator Hume this could best be monitored through official campaign entities, to which he responded: “Combating misinformation and disinformation is vital – which is why we are modernising the Referendum Act to align with the Electoral Act.

“The government’s referendum machinery bill will introduce the same donation disclosure and authorisation rules that apply at general federal elections, including bans on foreign donations and foreign campaigners. In addition, the official yes/no pamphlet will provide the arguments of parliamentarians on each side to every household in the country.”

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson will back the referendum machinery, despite opposing the voice, which she says will enshrine a race-based body in the Constitution.

Francis Markham, a research fellow at the Australian National University’s Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, said he was “very surprised” to learn the government had ignored an Australian Electoral Commission recommendation to allow on-the-day enrolment.

“We know from experience that it would enfranchise several thousand currently unenrolled Indigenous voters,” Dr Markham told The Australian.

The Greens are also calling for on-the-day enrolment and phone voting for those unable to get to a polling booth.