Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reiterated support for an Indigenous voice to parliament, saying it would deliver practical outcomes.
His remarks follow the Nationals indicating the party would not support the voice proposal when it goes to a referendum, slated to be held in 2023/24.
Nationals leader David Littleproud said the party would stand against the voice, saying it would not deliver practical outcomes to close the gap.
However, Mr Albanese said the voice would be more than just symbolism.
"Our experience shows that when people who are directly affected are consulted and have a sense of ownership over the solution, they will be more engaged," he told an Indigenous basketball event in Canberra on Tuesday.
"So the solutions could close the gap on education, on health, on housing, on life expectancy, incarceration rates, on all of those measures where there is a gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians."
Indigenous coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said it wasn't a difficult decision for the Nationals to reach a "no" position on the voice.
"Basically taking an idea to a referendum with no detail and then allowing for the parliamentary process to fill in the detail, I don't think is a safe enough option," she told 2GB.
Senator Price doubled down on her comments about Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney being out of touch with remote and disadvantaged First Nations communities, saying she didn't have that understanding, having lived in NSW.
Mr Albanese told a government party room briefing on Tuesday he stood by Ms Burney following opposition attacks, which were described by another MP as "repulsive and absurd".
"When people go that personal, it shows they do not have an argument of substance," he said.
Mr Albanese said regional consultation was a cornerstone of the process to implement the voice to parliament.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told a joint coalition party room meeting the Liberals respected the decision taken by the Nationals, but the Liberals were yet to come to an agreement on their stance.
"There will be a discussion in the Liberal party room and coalition party room in due course, but we're not there yet," he told MPs.
"Right now, the pressure needs to be on the prime minister to answer the most basic questions about the Indigenous voice to parliament ... we want more information, just like the rest of the country, before we can form a position."
Indigenous activist Noel Pearson said he was surprised the Nationals would stand against the voice.
"I've spoken to almost every Nationals senator and MP over recent years, and of all the political parties, the Nationals were the most supportive of the idea of the voice," he told ABC Radio.
"This leader, supposed leader Littleproud ... he's like a kindergarten kid, not a leader. The Nationals have hoisted the mantle of leadership on a boy who's incapable of leadership that's necessary for the country."
Mr Pearson said it would be madness for the Liberals not to support the voice, taking aim at criticism the voice would only impact on Indigenous people in inner-city areas, not remote communities.
"We've gone through a long history of this over a dozen years, and we've landed with the simple idea of a voice, the simple proposition that Aboriginal people should be able to tell the parliament their views on any laws that affect them," he said.
The government has been calling for a referendum during this term of parliament to set up an Indigenous voice - one of the recommendations from the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
© AAP 2022