Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie slams Anthony Albanese over Indigenous Voice to Parliament

The success of the Indigenous Voice referendum would be ‘unprecedented’ because of the lack of bipartisanship on the issue, Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie says.

Australians will head to the polls in a fortnight to decide whether to enshrine an Indigenous voice to advise parliament and executive government into the constitution.

Opinion polls ahead of the October 14 referendum have shown the ‘no’ campaign ahead.

Senator McKenzie said while there was division about the Voice, there was high support for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.

Senator McKenzie said the Opposition was not responsible for the lack of bipartisanship on the issue pointing out one main problem with the referendum.

‘Why didn’t the prime minister carve the question out?’ she told Sky News on Sunday.

The Liberals and Nationals have come out against the Indigenous voice, saying the body would not deliver positive outcomes for Indigenous people. 

‘What is unprecedented is a referendum question getting up that doesn’t have bipartisan support in this country,’ she said.

‘If this was a referendum about recognising First Australians in the constitution, it would bipartisan support and I think, 95 per cent of Australians will be voting ‘yes’.’

Education Minister Jason Clare said the ‘yes’ campaign was still in the contest and constitutional change would be a unifying moment for the country.

‘This is not a Labor idea, this is not a Liberal idea. This is the idea of Indigenous Australians asking us to work with them, asking us to listen, holding out their hand,’ he told Sky News.

Australians will head to the polls in a fortnight to decide whether to enshrine an Indigenous voice to advise parliament and executive government into the constitution

‘Australians have got a choice in the few weeks: to shake that hand or slap it away.’

Early voting for the voice will begin on Monday in the NT, Tasmania, Victoria and WA ahead of the referendum.

Voters in the ACT, NSW, Queensland and SA will be able to cast early votes from Tuesday, due to the public holiday on Monday.

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