Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon says social media will make the Voice referendum like no other in Australia's history, but she is hopeful the nation is "mature enough" to "make the right call".
Ms Claydon sits on the joint select committee which is gathering evidence and submissions on the bill introduced to Parliament last month which contains the constitutional amendment which will be put to the public via a referendum late this year.
She will visit Perth on Friday to hear more evidence. The committee will report back to Parliament next month.
Ms Claydon is a strong advocate for the "yes" vote to establish an indigenous body to make representations to government on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
"There is nobody advocating that the kind of relationship that exists now between First Nations people and structures of government are adequate enough to deal with all the issues," she told a media conference in Newcastle on Wednesday.
"All of the indicators are moving in the wrong direction. The trajectory is going backwards, notwithstanding good intentions, people's efforts, programs being run.
"It's clear that the status quo is not an option, and what is on the table is the result of very, very lengthy conversations and negotiations spanning more than a decade in Australia."
Opinion polls suggest the "yes" campaign enjoys majority support of 60 per cent, but the gap is narrowing to the "no" vote.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton is campaigning against the Voice, but several of his Coalition colleagues have moved to the crossbench or resigned frontbench positions to support the "yes" campaign.
Ms Claydon said she had engaged with local indigenous people on the issue.
"There's no surprise that there would be some varying opinions around the shape and work of the Voice, but I am very, very confident that there is absolute unity that we cannot do more of the same," she said.
"I am acutely aware this is a really important time for the Australian nation, and the question is are we mature enough to confront squarely our history, to understand that and then to do something about establishing a fair and just relationship with First Nations people in Australia.
"I think we are, and that's what I'll be campaigning on."
The last national referendum in Australia, in 1999, delivered a comprehensive rejection of moving to a republic.
The last successful referendum was in 1977, when the public voted for compulsory retirement ages for judges in federal courts, referendum voting rights for residents in the ACT and Northern Territory, and new rules on filling Senate vacancies.
Since then eight separate questions contained in three referendums have not carried.
Ms Claydon said the rise of social media would make this year's referendum unpredictable.
"We've never had a referendum in Australia where platforms like social media have played a role," she said.
"It's a very unknown quantity, and I don't pretend for one moment that this is easy.
"History would suggest otherwise, but I have every confidence in the Australian people to make the right call on this one."
The referendum will be some time between October and December.
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