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An Australian Defence Force helicopter is lying in shallow water on the NSW south coast after the pilot was forced to ditch when it got into trouble during a night-time counter-terrorism training exercise.

Ten soldiers on board survived the crash and were plucked to safety in a dramatic rescue after the Army MRH-90 Taipan multi-role helicopter went down just after 9pm on Wednesday.

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

Commander Army Aviation Command, Major General Stephen Jobson praised the professionalism of those 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 told reporters 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 stricken survivors back to the shore where they were checked out by paramedics before being assessed by medical personnel at HMAS Creswell, south of Nowra.

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

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

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the crash happened when the helicopter lost power midflight.

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

"This was an extremely professional textbook response to obviously a terribly frightening situation," he told Nine's Today program.

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

The minister praised the skill of the pilot in manoeuvring the chopper to ensure the safety of all on board.

"It is an incredible act on the part of the crew in managing to get the helicopter down in a manner where pretty well everyone's able to walk away," Mr Marles said.

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

"Tonight quick responses from ADF personnel and emergency services and well-drilled teams prevented a potential tragedy," Lt Gen Stuart 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.

"This style of training is extremely important to ensure the readiness of Australia's counterterrorism forces and we can expect these exercises to continue beyond this current exercise."

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

© AAP 2023

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Ten Australian Defence Force personnel have survived an army helicopter crash into the water off the NSW south coast during a routine counter-terrorism training exercise.

The soldiers were plucked from the water in a dramatic rescue after the Army MRH-90 Taipan multi-role helicopter ditched into the water in vicinity of Jervis Bay on Wednesday night.

Two of the crew sustained minor injuries from the crash that occurred just after 9pm.

"All 10 Australian Defence Force personnel on board the aircraft have been recovered and accounted for and are being assessed by medical personnel at HMAS Creswell, south of Nowra, NSW," a Defence statement said.

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

"Tonight quick responses from ADF personnel and emergency services and well drilled teams prevented a potential tragedy," Lt Gen Stuart said.

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

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

The incident site is being contained by Australian Federal Police and port services personnel.

© AAP 2023

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Australians are set to find out exactly what they will vote on as the government pushes to enshrine an Indigenous voice to parliament in the constitution.

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.

How the referendum will play out has also been decided after the government and opposition came to an agreement to pass the machinery bill.

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

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

Senator Thorpe had pushed to increase polling access through phone voting and on-the-day enrolment with provisional voting.

"The government is effectively suppressing First Nations votes," she said.

"I cannot give my vote for something intentionally excluding my people."

Voters will receive a physical pamphlet outlining both the "yes" and "no" cases.

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.

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.

It followed a tense exchange between Senator Paterson and minister Don Farrell in the Senate, where the Labor frontbencher said he hadn't had any advice suggesting foreign interference was a problem.

Senator Farrell said he had confidence in Australian authorities to take the appropriate action to prevent foreign interference and prohibit foreign donations.

He said the safest way to proceed was to apply the foreign donations provisions for general elections to the referendum as well.

"I have not received any advice which would lead me to believe we currently have an issue with respect to foreign donations," he said when asked if he had been briefed on the risks.

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

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Australia have nabbed top spot on the ODI rankings after spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar came to the rescue in a series-deciding, 21-run victory over India in Chennai.

Veteran David Warner was surprisingly relegated down the order as Australia posted 269 off 49 overs in Wednesday's third and final clash.

Makeshift opener Mitch Marsh again top scored with 47 off as many balls, while Warner made 23 off 31 balls batting at No.4.

In reply, India were in cruise control at 2-146 before Zampa (4-45) and Agar (2-41) turned the match Australia's way.

Agar snared Virat Kohli (54 off 72 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (0) in consecutive balls in the 36th over to swing momentum.

Zampa was a force the whole way through as India lost 6-79 in a devastating period, with the home side eventually bowled out for 248 in 49.1 overs.

The result gave Australia a 2-1 series victory and propelled them above India into top spot on the ODI rankings.

Zampa was named man of the match after claiming the scalps of Shubman Gill (37), KL Rahul (32), Hardik Pandya (40) and Ravindra Jadeja (18), while Marsh took the player of the series honours.

"It's always fun bowling with Zamps," Agar said after the match.

"We're great mates. We have a pretty good time out there.

"We usually have a whisky in his room most nights and discuss how we're going to go about it. It paid off for us today."

Kohli threatened to guide India safely to the win, but he holed out to Agar's bowling in what proved to be a critical moment of the match.

Agar clean bowled Yadav next delivery.

It was the third match in a row Yadav had been dismissed for a golden duck.

"Ashton Agar, he changed the game," Zampa said.

"I don't feel like I deserve this (man of the match) to be honest with you. For me to be able to do what I did at the end, it's kudos to the guys who bowled before me."

Marsh continued his hot form as Australia reached 0-68 after electing to bat, but a collapse of 5-70 put the visitors on edge.

Alex Carey (38), Marcus Stoinis (25) and Sean Abbott (26) led the recovery effort to at least help Australia reach a respectable total.

There was a big shock in the batting order when the returning Warner, who had finally recovered from a hairline fracture in his elbow and a corked quad, was named to bat at No.4.

It marked just the second time in Warner's decorated 142-game ODI career that he didn't open, the other being against Scotland at the 2015 World Cup when he scored 21no off six balls while batting at No.5.

His relegation down the batting order - and another promising display from Marsh - has added huge intrigue as to who will open at this year's World Cup in India.

Marsh's latest knock lifted his tally to 194 runs at an average of 97 across this three-match series - all as an opener.

Travis Head was retained as Marsh's opening partner for game three and made 33 off 31 balls, following on from his 51no off 30 balls in Sunday's 10-wicket thrashing of India.

Paceman Hardik Pandya (3-44 off eight overs) and spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3-56 off 10) were the chief destroyers for India.

Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja (0-34 off 10 overs) was by far the most economical bowler.

© AAP 2023