A proposal to alter the words of the Australian constitution to enshrine an Indigenous voice will be presented to federal parliament.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will introduce the bill on Thursday, setting the wheels in motion for a referendum later this year.
Parliament finalised the rules around the distribution of referendum information and political donations last week, modernising laws that were last used for the republic vote in 1999.
Mr Dreyfus said the legislation would give Australians the power to change the constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and establish a voice to parliament.
"We want all members of the Australian parliament to support this referendum including every member of the crossbench and all members of the Liberal Party and we're very hopeful that there will be that support," he told reporters on Wednesday.
Alongside members of the government's referendum working group last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the proposed words to be put to the Australian people.
The proposed question is: "A Proposed Law: to alter the constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?"
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has not yet revealed whether the Liberal Party would support the voice.
Since the release of the proposed wording, Mr Dutton has called on the government to publish advice from the solicitor-general on the provision that the voice would make representations to executive government.
Mr Albanese said the wording was backed by leading constitutional law experts including former High Court chief justice Robert French and academic Anne Twomey.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said there shouldn't be concern about the wording of the question.
"The wording is the product of an enormous amount of advice and consultation, including very senior ex-judges, constitutional law experts and so on. I think the wording is appropriate," she told Sky News.
"Listening to people is how we get better results in all of these areas. It's a very sensible step forward."
© AAP 2023