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AAP
AAP
Politics
Maeve Bannister, Alex Mitchell and Dominic Giannini

Greens flag support for proposed referendum law changes

Former PM Malcom Turnbull says the government should leave campaigns on the voice to advocates. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Greens leader Adam Bandt says his party won't stand in the way of two referendum law changes the federal government wants before Australians vote on an Indigenous voice to parliament.

Labor is seeking to modernise statutes ahead of the referendum given updates to electoral processes, communication methods and technology since the last was held in 1999.

This includes removing a provision requiring the government to fund a 'yes' and 'no' campaign, a change the coalition opposes.

Support from the Greens and two crossbenchers will therefore be needed to pass the laws through the Senate by June for a referendum to be held by the end of the year, as promised by the prime minister.

Mr Bandt said while the Greens had concerns with parts of the proposed legislation, the party would negotiate and ensure they passed.

"We want to see the referendum happen ... ," he told reporters in Canberra.

"Then we want the referendum to succeed."

The Liberal Party has not yet revealed whether it would support the 'yes' or 'no' campaign for the voice.

From the Heart's Dean Parkin says the voice campaign will be won in the community, not in the media. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

But former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said Peter Dutton's regret at walking out on the apology to the stolen generation could signal his eventual support.

On Monday, the opposition leader apologised in parliament to members of the stolen generation for not attending the national apology in 2008.

Asked if the admission might pave the way for Mr Dutton to support the voice, Mr Turnbull told ABC radio on Tuesday: "It could, it absolutely could."

But he stopped short of saying his former colleague risked being on the wrong side of history, noting prominent opponents of the 1999 republic referendum hadn't suffered that fate.

"Even though you may think someone is taking the wrong political position at a given time, in most cases they'll be able to survive that and go on to whatever else they're seeking to do," Mr Turnbull said.

He said he'd vote in favour of the voice despite reservations.

The government shouldn't subsidise any campaigns regarding the vote outside of funding for pamphlets explaining the 'yes' and 'no' cases to be sent to households, he said.

"If I was in (Prime Minister Anthony) Albanese's chair I would be inclined to stick with what is in the referendum legislation ... which is to have the 'yes' and 'no' pamphlet and let the advocates outside of government run their own campaigns."

From the Heart director Dean Parkin urged Australians to start talking about constitutional recognition with friends and family, rather than focus on political point-scoring.

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