Voting for a specific model on how the Indigenous voice to parliament would operate could risk the body being "stuck in time".
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Uluru Dialogue co-chair Megan Davis said the referendum was simply a vote on the principle of having an Indigenous voice to parliament.
Speaking at the Universities Australia conference in Canberra on Wednesday, Professor Davis said it would be up to parliament on how the body would operate.
"We don't want Australians voting on a fully fledged model A or model B or model C, because then there'll be voting on that model, and we don't want the model to be stuck in time," she said.
"We want the agility of parliament to be able to change that model - the model of 2023 might not be the model of 2052."
Prof Davis said the practice of referendums being a vote on principle and parliament working out finer details was a well-established process since federation.
She said Australians would be well-informed of the details of the voice to parliament before they go to the ballot box, denying claims information was being withheld from people.
"That is what constitutions are for: they are for principle. Parliament is for the legislation. Parliament is for the operating manual," she said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated the referendum was slated to be held between October and December.
Indigenous organisation, From the Heart, is holding "yes" campaign workshops in Adelaide, with a special event planned for Thursday evening to garner support for the referendum.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who has repeatedly called for detail on the model the voice would take, said such information would explain how the body would provide practical solutions.
"There are models that people will vote for because they believe it will help those outcomes in Indigenous communities," he told reporters in Melbourne.
"There are other models that people will believe is just another layer of bureaucracy and not going to improve the living standards of Indigenous Australians."
The Liberal Party has yet to reach a formal position on whether it would support the voice.
Mr Dutton said the timing of the party's decision depended on information on the body provided by the prime minister.
During her address, Prof Davis said the implementation of the Uluru statement was more than just a constitutional recognition process.
"After all that has happened, the question was: what does repair look like? It looks like ... voice, treaty and truth," she said.
The comments coincide with national faith leaders joining up to call on MPs across the political spectrum to back the voice to parliament.
The alliance - made up of leaders from nine national organisations representing Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish communities - have affirmed their support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the National Press Club it was "incredibly significant" the leaders of Australia's major faiths, released the joint statement.
Australian Associated Press
