The Indigenous voice to parliament ‘returns to base camp’ as architects issue invitation for ‘all Aussies to walk with us’ with yes vote

The architects of the Indigenous voice to parliament want politics out of the way of the Indigenous voice to parliament proposal as it celebrates its sixth anniversary at Uluru.

Co-chairs of the Uluru Dialogue, Megan Davis and Pat Anderson.

The Indigenous voice to parliament is back at Uluru, six years after it was born. Now the proposal’s architects are trying to get politics out of the way.

The ayes clearly had it on that day at the Yulara campground and resort six years ago. Some 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates agreed to the final words of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the document they came together to write over three days under instructions from their communities.

And on Friday, many of its original proponents will gather again in the remote Red Centre to regroup and revive its push to make the voice a reality.

On Thursday, Cobble Cobble woman and leading Yes campaign figure Megan Davis sees it as serendipitous that the anniversary of the Uluru Statement is the same week the referendum bill is passing through the house.

“We are out at the rock ­recalling the two years of preparation, research, consultation with our mobs and dialogues – all the hard work that went into the constitutional deliberative process that led to the call for a constitutional voice,” she told The Australian.

“As we come out of the political period where the provision has been stress-tested by lawyers and politicians and parliamentary committee, now we are back at base camp again, after six years, we commence the final part of our trek across this vast continent to the ballot box.

“And this week we reissue that invitation for all Aussies to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.”

Ms Davis sees it as serendipitous that the anniversary of the Uluru Statement is the same week the referendum bill is passing through the house.

But nearly 2700km away, in Canberra, the political division now plaguing their vision was clear.

Anthony Albanese on Thursday defied a push to compromise on the proposed new chapter in the Constitution and curtail its powers to advise the executive government.

Mr Albanese told parliament that “no forms of words” would persuade the Liberal Party leadership to change its opposition to the voice, and he accused Peter Dutton of acting in a way “unworthy of the alternative prime minister” during the national debate and stoking misinformation across the community.

“The Liberal Party frontbench already locked themselves into saying no before the committee process that they called for and they said was important had even commenced its work, and the Nat­ional Party decided to say no before the draft question had even been finalised,” Mr Albanese told parliament on Thursday.

“Clearly, there is no form of words that will satisfy some of the leaders of the No campaign. Indeed, the Leader of the Opposition gave a speech in this chamber that is simply unworthy of the alternative prime minister of this nation.”

Mr Albanese’s comments follow Mr Dutton this week telling the lower house the voice would “re-racialise our nation” and lead to a world where all Australians were equal but some Australians were more equal than others.

The anniversary on Friday of the Uluru Statement, and its call for a constitutionally enshrined voice, is not just a chance for the ayes to look back at how far they have come.

But voice supporters at Uluru want to use the anniversary to remind voters that the push for constitutional change started with them, and not in Canberra.

That is one important reason why the Uluru Statement from the Heart will again be read aloud at the tiny community of Mutitjulu within sight of Uluru, at the invitation of local leaders such as Sammy Wilson.

Australia will hold a referendum on the voice later this year.

It is, to the marathoners of the voice movement, a signal to those who wish to portray the proposed Indigenous advisory body as a creature of Canberra.

Voice faithful who stayed positive even when there was no hope of a referendum under the Coalition now see good signs around them, despite their plan for Indigenous recognition becoming a partisan issue.

In parliament on Wednesday night, Liberal MP Julian Leeser – who has argued for changes to the wording of the voice amendment – offered a resounding endorsement of the advisory body, including the potential for it to make representations to a range of agencies.

“If the voice wants to lambaste the RBA on interest rates, I say join the queue,” he said.

Former Australian Catholic University vice-chancellor Greg Craven – a member of the government’s constitutional expert group – said he was concerned the voice would not get up but he would still campaign for the body.

“As a constitutional lawyer, I always worry referendums will lose; I will be confident the day after it wins,” Professor Craven said.