Albanese says Indigenous voice next step in reconciliation and opponents ‘trying to start a culture war’

In a speech on Sunday, PM to argue referendum comes at a time of increasing polarisation when democracy needs to be ‘protected’

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Anthony Albanese will pitch this year’s voice to parliament referendum as a gesture of trust in the Australian people at a time when increasing polarisation and misinformation means democracy needs to be “nourished, protected, cared for, treated with respect”.

Referencing the 2021 Capitol insurrection in Washington and the recent uprising in Brazil – violence triggered because people “had fallen headlong into poisonous conspiracy theories” – Albanese will tell a thinktank on Sunday that leaders need to “heed the warning” of those events, and take steps to safeguard democratic liberalism, according to an advance copy of his remarks.

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