Noel Pearson accuses Peter Dutton of 'preparing the grave' to bury the Uluru Statement

Cape York Indigenous leader, Noel Pearson, said he had a sleepless night after hearing about the Liberal Party's decision on Wednesday.

"I was troubled by dreams, and the spectre of the Dutton Liberal Party's Judas betrayal of our country," Mr Pearson told ABC RN Breakfast.

"They have had 11 years of power to work on a proper proposal for recognition, and the decision they have taken yesterday is a very poor outcome of 11 years of power."

The Liberal party joined the Nationals in formally opposing the Voice proposal, with Mr Dutton saying he will campaign for a "resounding no to the Prime Minister's Canberra Voice" while saying the party supports practical outcomes as well as the concept of constitutional recognition for First Nations people.

The "Canberra Voice" description has been pointed out as contradictory by Pat Anderson from the Uluru Dialogue.

"Their decision is a vote for business as usual. It is a vote for the domination of Canberra politicians and Canberra bureaucrats in the lives of grassroots communities. It seeks to entrench the status quo which is failing our people," she said in a statement.

READ MORE:

The Liberals will also push for local and regional representatives to advocate for Indigenous people, despite the Albanese government and referendum working group members saying the current Voice proposal already factors in local and regional representation.

Mr Dutton defended the decision to push for an unsuccessful referendum.

"I'd say to the Prime Minister today that Australians will want more detail and if there's a hesitation about the model it's because the government's refusing to provide the detail," the Opposition Leader told the ABC's AM program.

"We believe in a local and regional advisory body so that you can get the maternity services on the ground, the law and order support, the education, the health, the housing outcomes.

"The Voice has turned into, as Megan Davis has pointed out, an opportunity for there to be input into RBA decisions, into every aspect of government work. And I don't believe that that is going to deliver the practical outcomes to Indigenous Australians that we all crave."

The position is binding on shadow frontbenchers, but non-binding on backbenchers. There is division over the decision, with outspoken federal member for Bass Bridget Archer indicating that she is firmly in the "yes" camp.

Mr Pearson said it was a sad day for Australia that there would not be bipartisan support for such an important national enterprise.

"We now have an assiduous undertaker prowling the Australian continent, spinning his, you know he's going to be spinning a yarn about this is a bad thing for Australia," he said.

But he said the proposition will ultimately pass.

"Nevertheless, I am certain that every attempt to try and kill and bury Uluru will not succeed (and) the Australian people will rise to the historic opportunity we have to achieve reconciliation at last," the Indigenous leader said.

"A unity ticket between Dutton, Hanson and Abbott I don't think is going to resonate with the Australian people."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who rejects that detail has not been provided to Mr Dutton, said the Opposition Leader was "defined by what he is against, not what he is for".

"He has not learned or heard any of the messages that were given in May last year or in Aston on Saturday. He is determined to just be negative," he told reporters in Sydney.

"The problem with Peter Dutton is that he is scared of the present Australia but he is terrified of the future.

"And with this decision yesterday, Peter Dutton has turned his back to the future."

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.