Anthony Albanese positive ‘Kamahl-mentum’ will boost Voice support in final weeks to referendum

Anthony Albanese says he is confident support for the Yes vote will gain momentum in the final three weeks to the Voice referendum.

The Prime Minister pointed to Australian singer Kamahl’s decision to backflip on his No vote after he admitted he did not understand what the proposed constitutional change would entail.

While campaigning at West Ryde shopping centre in Sydney’s north-west on Saturday morning, Mr Albanese said he was positive “Kamahl-mentum” would pick up steam ahead of the referendum. 

“Kamahl-mentum, that’s a new thing that has arisen today,” he told reporters. 

“Something I get great heart from is the decision of Kamahl, a very courageous decision.

“He’s someone who came out and said no and went away, spoke to people, read what it is about, read the question and decided that he would come out and declare his support for Yes, and to say why would anyone oppose this?”

Kamahl announced he had changed his vote following a conversation with Indigenous comedian Dane Simpson and constitutional lawyer Eddie Synot.

The 88-year-old conceded he was hesitant because he had insufficient knowledge on what First Nations people had faced.  

In an emotional interview with ABC Breakfast on Saturday morning the Australian singer elaborated further on his decision.

“Changing my mind wasn’t too difficult, because the No was a flippant ‘no’. It was not an educated No,” he said. 

“I think the whole idea – what really reduced me to tears was, for the first time this Tuesday, I learnt that the British wanted to wipe out the black race as though they were vermin. I just couldn’t – even now as I say it, I want to choke.

“How could Captain Cook and the rest of them just want to wipe out the black race?”

During his Yes campaign on Saturday, Mr Albanese urged Australians unsure about the Voice proposal to simply read the question being posed on October 14. 

“What I say is have a look at what the question is, it’s very clear,” he said. 

“The first part is about recognition, and then there shall be a group, a Voice, that shall be an advisory committee on matters that affect Indigenous Australians.

“And you ‘ll get better outcomes, you’ll get more efficiency, you’ll get better value when you consult people directly affected,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Liberal Leader Peter Dutton used his address at the Victorian Liberal party’s state council meeting to criticise Labor’s “lack of answers on the Voice”.

“You’re asking people to support the most significant change, which will change the way that our government operates, we’re one of the most stable democracies in the world,” he said on Saturday. 

“I don’t believe people are voting against a desire to help Indigenous people. I don’t believe that Australians are voting against a desire to recognise Australians of Indigenous heritage in our Constitution.

“But I do believe they’re voting against the Voice because the Prime Minister has deliberately starved them of the information they need to make an informed judgement, so they can win their hearts, but they’re not winning the minds of Australians.”