Australians are poised to learn the date for the voice referendum as polling indicates there is now majority support for the ‘yes’ vote in South Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will unveil the date in Adelaide on Wednesday, with it widely expected to be October 14.
The announcement comes as a poll suggests a shift in support for the voice in South Australia.
The survey of 605 people indicates 43 per cent of South Australians now back an Indigenous voice to parliament while 39 per cent are opposed, The Adelaide Advertiser reported.
The undecided 18 per cent were evenly split in their leaning, putting the ‘yes’ vote ahead at 52-48.
Previous polls had put the ‘no’ vote ahead in SA, considered a crucial swing state.
Mr Albanese has ruled out multiple weekends for the referendum including footy grand finals, parliament sitting weeks and the wet season in the Northern Territory, essentially putting it in mid-October.
The prime minister will be joined by Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney and other members of his cabinet, along with the South Australian premier, at a ‘yes’ launch event in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
The referendum will ask Australians to constitutionally enshrine an Indigenous advisory body known as the voice.
‘Yes’ supporters will kick off campaigns across the country, including door knocks and street walks.
Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull will join Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and ‘yes’ volunteers to hand out flyers in Sydney.
In Tasmania, Liberal MP Bridget Archer will hit the streets to encourage voters to back the proposal.
Greens leader Adam Bandt and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten will chat with commuters in Melbourne’s inner north.
To succeed, a majority of states need to vote ‘yes’ as well as the majority of Australians.
South Australia and Tasmania are widely viewed as critical swing states as supporters start to fire up their ground campaign.
The latest South Australian poll of 605 people took place in early August and was commissioned by the Australia Institute.
Other polls have the ‘yes’ vote lagging across the nation and on a downward trend but campaigners say the mood on the ground is more hopeful.
Speaking in Adelaide, Indigenous activist Noel Pearson said the state would be critical in the referendum.
“It’s really a linchpin, it’s been between those eastern states that are very firmly ‘yes’ and those that are still pondering what they will do at this referendum,” he said.
Supporters of the voice face an uphill battle with the vast majority of Australian referendums failing and the federal opposition campaigning heavily against the constitutional change.
The ‘no’ campaign has positioned the voice to be legally risky and divisive along racial lines.
Former prime minister John Howard warned a successful voice referendum would lead to calls for treaty.
“We don’t have treaties with bits of ourselves and it only has to be stated to be realised as a complete absurdity,” he told Sky News.
“Treaties are made between sovereign nations, we have treaties with other countries.”
