Jacinta Price and Warren Mundine to campaign together against an Indigenous voice to parliament

The leading No campaigners have been traversing the country independently but will unite for the final four weeks of the referendum.

Warren Mundine and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price will campaign together against the voice from here on to show ‘we’re not divided and we don’t want the country to be divided’. Picture: X

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Warren Mundine will team up to campaign together for the final four weeks of the referendum, after the leading anti-voice campaigners split on treaties and changing Australia Day.

Peter Dutton, who had said Mr Mundine would have a “very serious claim to make” for a NSW Senate vacancy, on Monday distanced the ­Coalition from the ­Indigenous leader’s endorsement of treaties.

The Opposition Leader said if he were elected prime minister, he would not prioritise treaty negotiations that “would cost billions” and “just see rich lawyers in Sydney and Melbourne get richer”.

The divisions in the No camp came as Fair Australia launched a South Australian campaign at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Monday night.

The No organisation will hold weekly launches in battleground states of Western Australia, Queensland and Tasmania and a second event in SA in the lead-up to October 14.

While Senator Price, the opposition’s Indigenous Australians spokeswoman, and Mr Mundine have been traversing the country separately until now to cover more ground, The Australian understands they will campaign together until polling day.

“Having two of the most influential and high-profile Indigenous Australians speaking to voters together saying ‘We’re not divided and we don’t want the country to be divided’ is really powerful,” a No campaign spokesman said.

The Australian understands their teaming up for the final stretch of the campaign has been planned for a long time and had nothing to do with the weekend, when Mr Mundine supported changing Australia Day and treaties, which is at odds with Senator Price’s and Mr Dutton’s positions.

Mr Mundine’s declaration that treaties would be more likely if the referendum failed – an outcome for which he is campaigning – triggered a backlash from senior NSW Liberal Party figures, who said it would impact any tilt he made to replace Marise Payne in her NSW Senate spot.

Mr Dutton committed to taking the same constitutional recognition and voice policies to the next election as the Coalition did to the 2022 poll.

Under its 2022 “plan to empower Indigenous Australians”, $160m was budgeted to hold a referendum “once we have a consensus on the question and at a time it has the best chance of success”.

There was also $31.8m to support the first year of required preparatory work to design local and regional voices.

“The trouble is that the Prime Minister has masked the voice with recognition to try and give it some moral cover because he wouldn’t put two questions,” Mr Dutton said.

“So do I think there should be recognition of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution? Yes, I do. And it’s a policy that we’ve had long standing. I think it’s respectful and I can promise you that as prime minister I won’t be prioritising treaties … with billions of dollars going to lawyers instead of helping those communities in a practical way.”

Prominent Yes campaigner Noel Pearson said supporters of a voice “feel the momentum is rising” and were buoyed by Sunday marches across the country, which Yes23 estimated were attended by between 150,000 and 200,000 Australians. “We feel the cause of unity is upon us,” Mr Pearson said, standing alongside current and former Liberal, Greens, teal and independent politicians.

“This is not us versus them. This is about we, the Australian people. And we’re going to transcend our political tribes.

“Yes, we do have affiliations, but this is the moment where we’re going to transcend those affiliations and come together as Australians. I’m just very buoyed by yesterday’s result … we’re working towards unity on October 14; the day of the referendum will be a day of national unity.”