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An Australian Defence Force helicopter crew has narrowly avoided disaster after ditching into water on the NSW south coast, raising more questions about the Army's multi-role Taipan craft.

The MRH-90 Taipan helicopter was taking part in a night-time counter-terrorism training exercise when it ran into trouble just after 9pm on Wednesday.

All 10 personnel on board were plucked safely from the water after the pilot touched down on the surface.

The Taipan model helicopter has earned a reputation as unreliable in recent years, with malfunctions and technical issues forcing several groundings of Australia's fleet.

Defence has temporarily paused the training activity and again grounded the MRH-90 Taipan fleet while the cause of the incident is investigated.

Commander of the Army's Aviation Command, Major General Stephen Jobson, praised the professionalism of everyone involved in the emergency.

"The aircraft has successfully allowed for the egress of all 10 occupants and the air crew handling the aircraft played a very large part in ensuring that outcome," he said in Jervis Bay.

The exercise involved members of the 6th Aviation Regiment and Special Forces 2nd Commando Regiment.

Small boats that were part of the training exercise helped ferry the survivors back to shore where they were checked by paramedics before being assessed by medical personnel at HMAS Creswell, south of Nowra.

One of the crew was treated for a "head bump" while another ingested seawater, Maj Gen Jobson said.

"I can advise that the aircrew are robust and on their feet and assisting with the safety investigation," he said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the crash happened when the helicopter lost power mid-flight.

"The crew were able to shut down the rotor ... in really a textbook fashion and were able to ditch the helicopter in Jervis Bay," he said.

"This was an extremely professional textbook response to obviously a terribly frightening situation.

"The critical question is why did the engine stop."

In 2021, the government announced plans to prematurely withdraw the European-made Taipan model from service, replacing them with Black Hawks and Seahawks from the United States.

The Navy has already stopped using the Taipan choppers, which are solely operated by the Army, with a spate of groundings and technical issues raising concerns over their reliability.

At the time, the defence department said the Taipan model - made by Airbus - had not met contractual availability requirements and had experienced blown-out operational costs ahead of its planned withdrawal from service in 2037.

Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart thanked emergency responders for their quick action.

"Quick responses from ADF personnel and emergency services and well-drilled teams prevented a potential tragedy," he said.

"We will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident to determine the cause and ensure the platform remains safe to operate."

Maj Gen Dobson said efforts were being made to mitigate any effects on the environment.

"There is an engineering assessment being undertaken that will both look at the environmental aspects and the recovery of the aircraft," he said.

An investigation by the Defence Flight Safety Bureau is under way, with the incident site contained by Australian Federal Police.

© AAP 2023

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Australians will be asked at a referendum whether they support an Indigenous voice to parliament and executive government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has outlined the details of the historic vote following months of talks and consultation by the referendum working group.

Voters will be asked: "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?"

The question is virtually identical to the draft outlined by the prime minister last July at the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land.

The constitutional change will involve adding three sentences: "There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

"The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to parliament and the executive government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

"The parliament shall, subject to this constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures."

The proposed introductory words of the constitution will be: "In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia".

Choking back tears, the prime minister said not putting the question to the people later this year would be conceding defeat.

"Every Australia wants us to close the gap and today points the way to how. By enshrining a voice in our constitution and by listening to that voice," he said.

"All of us can own an equal share of what I believe will be an inspiring and unifying Australian moment.

"I say to Australia, don't miss it."

Referendum working group member Thomas Mayo said Indigenous Australians must remain hopeful.

"They should be our hope for the future. It has given Indigenous people who have been ignored and treated poorly for far too long a voice so that we may improve our lives," he said.

"It is profound because it includes over 60,000 years of continuous heritage and culture in our constitution - a recognition from the moment we say, 'yes'."

An emotional Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said it was an historic day.

"Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the constitution will be a simple but powerful act," she said.

"It will move Australia forward for everyone. It will give all Australians the chance to come together to recognise and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and story."

The government's proposed model will have representatives from all states and territories as well as the Torres Strait and specific remote areas.

It will have a gender balance and include youth members.

Those on the voice will be appointed by communities, not the government, and serve specific terms.

It will be able to make proactive representations as well as respond to specific requests.

Mr Albanese says the body will be transparent and accountable.

But the parliament will ultimately decide on the model.

Laws setting out the question and constitutional change will go to parliament on March 30.

The details followed the coalition and Labor striking a deal to pass a bill on Wednesday night to set up the rules around information and the conduct of the referendum.

Neither campaign will be publicly funded, with taxpayers only picking up the bill for a neutral education campaign to inform voters about the voice and the referendum.

But donations made to both campaigns will be tax deductible.

The mobile polling period for remote communities has been extended to 19 days and a greater number of identification methods will be accepted to enrol or update enrolment.

The referendum is due to be held between October and December.

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A southern white rhino calf has been born at the Werribee Open Range Zoo for the first time in almost a decade.

First-time mother Kipenzi gave birth to the female calf about 4am on Tuesday after a 16-month pregnancy.

Kipenzi and her newborn did not bond straight away, so the calf was brought to the zoo's vet clinic for medical checks and supplementary feeding.

The calf, who is yet to be named, is receiving round-the-clock feeds of his mother's colostrum.

"The calf's health has begun to improve and it is now in the process of being reintroduced to mum," zoo director Mark Pilgrim said in a statement.

"However, it will continue to remain under veterinary care during these critical early days."

The southern white rhino is listed as a near threatened species, with only about 10,080 left in the wild.

Poachers and illegal rhino horn traders continue to pose significant threats.

"The arrival of this precious calf is an important achievement in the fight to save the species from extinction," Dr Pilgrim said.

"We are excited that visitors will be able to view the pair once we have navigated these typically high-risk early days following the birth."

He said the calf will be named in coming weeks through a voting competition for Zoos Victoria members.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged the coalition to get behind the Indigenous voice to parliament, as the wording of the referendum question that will enshrine the change is set to be revealed.

Cabinet is meeting to discuss the final question on Thursday morning after the prime minister, attorney-general and Indigenous Australians minister met with the referendum working group on Wednesday night.

While the coalition has struck a deal on how the vote will be conducted, it is yet to reach a formal position on whether to support the Indigenous voice.

Mr Albanese said the constitutional reform should be above party politics.

"I can't conceive of why a political party would seek to bind its members to a position of opposition to a referendum," he told reporters in Queanbeyan on Thursday.

"I would urge the coalition to support a 'yes' case because this is about who we are as a nation and whether we have the confidence to recognise not just our full history but the opportunity that's there in walking forward together.

"There are different views on any issue before the Australian people but this is about our nation. This is should not be a partisan issue."

Health Minister Mark Butler said the finalising of the wording would allow for campaign efforts for the 'yes' vote to be ramped up.

"Everyone is determined to reach an agreed set of words so we can get out there and start putting the case to the Australian people before the referendum," he told ABC TV on Thursday.

"Our government has been working with Aboriginal leaders to reach a final set of words to put to the Australian people and that work's happened at the highest level."

As part of the agreement struck between the government and opposition on how the referendum will be run, neither campaign will be publicly funded.

Taxpayers will only pick up the bill for a neutral education campaign to inform voters about the voice and the referendum but donations made to both campaigns will be tax deductible.

The mobile polling period for remote communities has been extended to 19 days and a greater number of identification methods will be accepted to enrol or update enrolment.

The bill passed the Senate with multi-party support but independent senator Lidia Thorpe abstained.

The Indigenous senator said this wasn't a reflection of her views on the voice but a protest to the government shooting down her amendments.

Multicultural Australia chief executive Christine Castley said the referendum would be a pivotal moment for the country

"This is the next step in the evolution of us as a country and our maturity to have the conversation about who gets a seat at the table and who gets a voice in the conversations that happen around the issues that affect them," she told ABC TV.

"It is about recognising who should have a voice in the decision making processes that frame us as a country."

But the opposition says it remains concerned about foreign interference, with senator James Paterson saying he isn't satisfied with the government's prevention efforts.

"I am genuinely flabbergasted by the government's apparent total lack of interest and concern about the risk of foreign interference in the upcoming referendum campaign," he told AAP.

The referendum is due to be held between October and December.

© AAP 2023