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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has firmed up the timetable for the upcoming referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament, saying by this time next year it will have been held.

Mr Albanese will make the announcement at the Woodford Folk Festival, a six-day celebration of music and culture being held for the first time in almost three years, north of Brisbane on Wednesday.

"When Woodford takes place next year, the referendum on the Voice to Parliament will have been held," he will say.

"This is an opportunity for all of us to be a part of enriching our nation and being even stronger in the future."

Mr Albanese reiterated a voice would achieve two things.

"It will recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our Constitution and it will enshrine a Voice to Parliament to ensure consultation on matters that directly affect Indigenous Australians, such as education, health, housing, and justice issues."

Mr Albanese will encourage Australians to support the referendum, saying it's a chance to be part of national unity and reconciliation.

In his Bob Hawke memorial lecture, the Labor leader will also reflect on the past seven months in power and reveal what Australians can expect from his government in 2023.

The late Mr Hawke, a former Labor prime minister, was one of the festival's greatest fans.

Mr Albanese will discuss Mr Hawke's time in government while highlighting his own government's first seven months and seven days in power.

"Bob Hawke left a great legacy and that's because he understood that for any legacy to have staying power requires a government that lasts the distance," he will say.

"No one's time in government is infinite. The clock is always ticking.

"But I firmly believe that a good way to make the best possible use of that time is to carry Bob's example in your heart."

The prime minister will talk about his government's election commitment to hit the ground running.

He will cite his party's achievements in establishing a stronger climate target, paid domestic violence leave, a national anti-corruption commission and improved gender equality.

Mr Albanese will also reference the steps taken to restore Australia's international relationships, particularly with the Pacific region and China.

Voters appear to have given the government's momentum a tick of approval.

A new poll commissioned by the Sydney Morning Herald shows Labor's primary vote has lifted to 40 per cent across the nation since May.

The government also had a clear lead against the coalition in the five biggest states, the Resolve poll suggests.

In Queensland, a key battleground state, Labor's primary vote had jumped from 27 per cent to 37 per cent.

Mr Albanese will use his speech to lament the previous nine years of the coalition government and commit to supporting the arts sector.

He will say the former government did not understand that rather than being a luxury, the arts were "central to our very being".

Looking to 2023, Mr Albanese will pledge to continue building on the momentum his government established in 2022.

"My determination has always been that we will be a government for all Australians," he will say.

"We will listen. We will consult. We will keep our doors open, along with our ears and our minds."

The Woodford festival runs from December 27 to January 1.

© AAP 2022

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Andoo Comanche has claimed line honours in the Sydney to Hobart for the fourth time, marking a triumphant return for the supermaxi after a brief hiatus.

The 100-foot yacht crossed the River Derwent finish line shortly before 1am (AEDT) on Wednesday with a time of one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds.

Andoo Comanche, which had not sailed the 628-nautical mile bluewater classic since tasting success in 2019, has now claimed line honours in four of the past seven races.

She held off a strong challenge in darkness down the River Derwent from LawConnect, which finished about 27 minutes later.

Last year's line honours victor Black Jack was third, while nine-time winner Hamilton Island Wild Oats finished in fourth place.

Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr was joined on the crossing by his father, who had competed in the Sydney to Hobart race back in the 1970s.

"It's pretty emotional. These are the types of things that you look back on and say you're glad you got those opportunities," Winning Jr said.

"He's a big golfer and I hate golf, so it's the only sport we can do together."

Winning Jr dedicated the victory to "dear friend" Matt Munting, who helped him set up his extreme sports venture Andoo X.

Andoo Comanche set the pace down Australia's east coast despite a poor start on Boxing Day.

Winning Jr said his crew had to navigate some "hairy" moments in the early stages, made more difficult by spectator zones that narrowed the course.

The supermaxi also hit a 10-foot log early in the race, suffering a chip to her rudder.

Winning Jr said he was worried about the winds dying in the notoriously fickle River Derwent.

"(Winning the race) didn't feel real until the last minute. It means a hell of a lot," he said.

Andoo Comanche, the pre-race favourite, was at one stage on track to break the line honours record time - one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds - she set in 2017 but ultimately missed out by almost three hours.

She is the first yacht to take out Sydney to Hobart line honours under three different owners or skippers.

Andoo Comanche was one of two supermaxis forced to take penalty turns during a dramatic start to the race in Sydney on Monday.

The overall race winner, decided on handicap, will be decided in the coming days.

Just three yachts have so far retired from the starting fleet of 109, a far cry from 2021's race when 36 boats pulled the pin across the first two days in rough weather.

The Sydney to Hobart was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr has described winning Sydney to Hobart race line honours alongside his father as "pretty emotional".

The 100-foot supermaxi yacht crossed the River Derwent finish line shortly before 1am (AEDT) on Wednesday, her fourth first-past-the-post win in the past seven races.

Andoo Comanche clocked a time of one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds - almost three hours outside the race record she set in 2017.

The supermaxi, which had not sailed the 628-nautical mile bluewater classic since tasting success in 2019, held off a strong challenge in darkness down the River Derwent from LawConnect, which finished about 27 minutes later.

Last year's line honours victor Black Jack was third, while nine-time winner Hamilton Island Wild Oats finished fourth.

Winning Jr was joined on the crossing by John Snr, who won Sydney to Hobart line honours on Ballyhoo in 1976.

"It's pretty emotional. These are the types of things that you look back on and say you're glad you got those opportunities," Winning Jr said.

"He's a big golfer and I hate golf, so it's the only sport we can do together."

Winning Jr dedicated the victory to "dear friend" Matt Munting, who helped him set up his extreme sports venture Andoo X.

The remaining 100-plus yachts at sea on Wednesday morning faced the prospect of strong winds, as eyes turned to the battle for overall handicap honours.

The number of retired boats grew to seven, with Huntress, Navy One, Sail Exchange and Mondo suffering damage.

Veteran sailor David Blanchfield was treated by paramedics for a minor cut to his leg after arriving in Hobart aboard Moneypenny.

Blanchfield was washed from the yacht's bow to mast at sea overnight.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of gale force winds off Tasmania's southeast, as well as strong winds for areas including the Derwent.

Andoo Comanche, the pre-race favourite, earlier set the pace down Australia's east coast despite a poor start on Boxing Day.

Winning Jr, who won line honours with Perpetual LOYAL in 2016, said his crew had to navigate some "hairy" moments early on, made more difficult by spectator zones that narrowed the course.

The supermaxi also hit a 10-foot log early in the race, suffering a chip to her rudder.

Winning Jr said he was worried about the notoriously fickle winds in the River Derwent dying.

"(Winning the race) didn't feel real until the last minute. It means a hell of a lot," he said.

Andoo Comanche is the first yacht to take out Sydney to Hobart line honours under three different owners or skippers.

Andoo Comanche was one of two supermaxis who opted to take penalty turns during a dramatic start to the race in Sydney on Monday.

The Sydney to Hobart was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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A baby and two young children have been found alive two days after surviving a car crash that killed their parents in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region on Christmas morning.

Jake Day, 28, and Cindy Braddock, 25, died after their 4WD left the road and rolled into bushes about 10km from their home town of Kondinin, 280km east of Perth.

Police say the family left Northam, about 200km west of Kondinin, about 1am on Sunday.

The couple's three children were not found until about midday on Tuesday after a family member called police and reported the family as missing a day earlier.

The infant suffered serious injuries and is understood to have been flown with the two other children to a Perth hospital for treatment.

"A family member actually found the vehicle," WA Police Inspector Tony Vuleta told reporters on Tuesday.

"Sadly a male and female in their 20s were located deceased. Three children all under the age of five were located with the vehicle."

Insp Vuleta said police found a two-month-old baby inside the family's upturned Landrover Discovery and the two other children outside the station wagon.

"An incident like this is tragic, especially at this time of year," he said.

© AAP 2022