Indigenous leaders call for details ahead of voice to parliament referendum

Indigenous leaders want more details to be released ahead of a referendum on the voice to parliament, after new polling revealed that support for a new permanent advisory body has fallen since the May election.

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Monique Harmer

Indigenous leaders want more details to be released ahead of a referendum on the voice to parliament, after new polling revealed that support for a new permanent advisory body has fallen since the May election.

Following a backlash over Anthony Albanese’s appearance with former NBA star and multi-millionaire Shaquille O’Neal over the weekend to spruik the voice to parliament, Indigenous leaders were confident that greater “awareness and understanding” would shift public support.

With the Albanese government expected to rely on celebrities, the private sector and sports identities to promote the Yes campaign, the Prime Minister has been urged to “chart out a plan on engagement”.

New SEC Newgate Research polling of 1804 Australians, conducted between August 11-15, showed support for an Indigenous voice to parliament was softer among regional, older and male voters.

The survey, which forms part of wider economic and social monthly tracking polling, revealed a majority 57 per cent of Australians supported the voice to parliament compared with 19 per cent who opposed. In May, 59 per cent supported the voice compared to 16 per cent opposed.

Coalition MPs, including Indigenous Northern Territory senator Jacinta Price, criticised Mr Albanese and Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney for using O’Neal, better known as Shaq, to promote the referendum push.

Senator Price said Mr Albanese was “out of touch … with the needs of Aboriginal Australians” and described it as a “shame job”.

“I don’t think it’s good enough to take our founding document so casually by changing it on the basis of no detail, emotional blackmail and because the ‘world is watching’,” Senator Price said.

Tom Calma, a co-designer of the voice, said he was surprised that support had waned in recent months but was hopeful that more Australians would back the voice when the government released more details.

“What we’ll see is as the government starts to chart out a plan on engagement with community and getting fairly targeted messaging out we’ll see a difference,” Mr Calma said.

“I would expect that as the marketing and media campaign ramps up, that’s targeted around when the referendum might be conducted, that will help.”

Mr Calma said O’Neal’s support for the voice demonstrated “this is not just a little domestic issue”.

“Indigenous populations of the world are looking closely at this and how we respond, with celebrities and everyday people to get involved and becoming advocates,” he said.

Dean Parkin. Picture: Liam Kidston

Dean Parkin, director of From The Heart, said “when there’s more awareness and understanding, I think anything that raises profile is positive and constructive”.

SEC Newgate Research partner David Stolper said public sentiment towards an Indigenous voice remained “stable” but the government had a job ahead of it to lift support.

“The government has been strident in its push for an Indigenous voice, and although the numbers are positive at face value there will be a lot of work needed to convince a preoccupied electorate of the importance of this reform and build the support needed to win a referendum on the issue,” Mr Stolper said.

The Mood of the Nation poll found that almost one in two Australians felt the Albanese government was doing a good or excellent job, with 52 per cent reporting higher confidence that the country was moving in the right direction.

While cost of living pressures continue to dominate national priorities, concerns about grocery, petrol and electricity prices eased for the first time since March.