Peter Dutton rebukes offer to attend Garma festival

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has knocked back an offer by the Prime Minister to attend an Indigenous festival ahead of the Voice vote.

Peter Dutton has knocked back an offer by the Anthony Albanese to attend a key Aboriginal event in the lead-up to the Voice referendum.

The Prime Minister invited Mr Dutton to the attend the Garma festival in the Northern Territory as debate over the Voice heats up.

Mr Albanese told 2GB radio: “I invite him (Mr Dutton) to go to Garma, talk with Indigenous Australians.

“Move away from his dirt unit and sit in the red dirt in Arnhem Land.”

Asked by Today show host Sarah Abo the following day if he would accept the offer, Mr Dutton said he would not be attending.

“No, I have been to East Arnhem Land and Laverton and Indigenous communities, to Alice Springs and Darwin,” he said.

Peter Dutton has knocked by an offer by the Anthony Albanese to attend the Garma festival. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“I have spoken to Indigenous leaders.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Abo the offer nonetheless remained open.

The move comes as Aboriginal leaders gather for the four-day Garma festival.

Held in remote northeast Arnhem Land, the event celebrates the cultural life of the Yolngu people.

Last year, Mr Albanese used his speech at the Garma festival to reveal the wording of the Voice referendum.

At the time, Mr Albanese was the first sitting prime minister to visit the festival since 2017.

Mr Albanese invited Mr Dutton to attend the Garma festival next week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Debate over the Voice referendum heated up on Thursday in parliament, with the two leaders trading barbs.

Mr Albanese accused the Liberal leader of “undermining the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people” by opposing the Voice.

Mr Dutton, for his part, claimed Mr Albanese had conducted a series of “trainwreck” interviews that failed to fully explain the referendum.

He claimed the Prime Minister had failed to explain the full repercussions of a Yes vote and criticised Indigenous Minister Linda Burney.

Ms Burney also invited Deputy Opposition Leader Susan Ley to attend the Garma festival next week alongside Labor leaders.

Ms Ley has not responded to the offer.