An Indigenous voice enshrined in the constitution will help First Nations communities reach beyond despair and hopelessness facing their lives every day, a senior government minister says.
A referendum on enshrining an Indigenous voice is expected to take place between October and December.
Northern Territory Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy said the purpose of the voice was to involve Indigenous people in decisions that would affect their communities.
"We've got to look at a life beyond the absolute, utter despair and hopelessness that we experience around us in terms of our daily lives at the moment," she told Sky News on Sunday.
"It is really the first important step for our country to recognise that unless First Nations people are fully involved at every level, then our sense of powerlessness for those communities (and) for families will continue to remain."
But NT Country Liberal senator Jacinta Price said the voice would racially separate Australians in the constitution.
She wants local and regional voices to be amplified, but would not confirm her support for a national voice.
"Voices in the bush are often not heard or not amplified in these discussions (and) even more so, the vulnerable voices in those communities are not heard," she told ABC Insiders.
"I support voices from regional and remote communities to be heard in Canberra."
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is yet to reveal who will replace Julian Leeser, who resigned from his position as shadow minister for Indigenous Australians in order to support the voice referendum.
Senator Price would not confirm whether she had been offered Mr Leeser's vacated role in shadow cabinet.
"No matter where I'm at in parliament, I'll be doing what I can to advocate for the vulnerable," she said.
Senator McCarthy said Senator Price's opposition to the voice would not be a surprise if she was promoted to the shadow ministry.
"What I'd say to all Australians is this: be watchful of the way people conduct themselves throughout this whole campaign. We've still got a long way to go," she said.
"The message from the Uluru Statement is a generous request and it's one that is done with much love, much peace, hope and faith for the future."
