The opposition leader says he would hold a second referendum solely to enshrine First Nations recognition into the constitution in the event the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum fails to pass.
Peter Dutton confirmed Australians would head to the voting booths again under his leadership if the Yes vote does not prevail.
The opposition is against enshrining a Voice to Parliament, which would provide advice on issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but supports constitutional recognition.
Dutton told Sky News he would be prepared to hold another referendum on the matter if elected.
“Yes, I believe very strongly that is the right thing to do,” he said on Sunday.
“But enshrining a Voice in the constitution is divisive.”
He said it would “divide the country down the middle” and fail to provide practical outcomes.
Debate on the matter has kicked up a gear
since the prime minister last week announced 14 October as the date for the referendum
On Saturday, Anthony Albanese took aim at “fear campaigns” about the Voice.
“This campaign is going to be won by one-on-one conversations with people, making sure that the fear campaigns which are there (are) no more real than the fear campaigns that were there about the Apology to Stolen Generations, about Mabo, about native title, about marriage equality, about all of these issues,” he told supporters in Canberra.
(SBS/SKY NEWS)
