Former Voice sceptic and Nationals member Jock Rice-Ward will vote 'Yes' opposing party's view

"I now have confidence in the processes around - and the future of - the Voice," Mr Rice-Ward said.

READ ALSO: Minister Linda Burney in Dubbo to promote Voice to Parliament

Mr Rice-Ward met Mr Pearson earlier this year at an information session hosted by the Property Council. Prior to the meeting, the Nationals member sided with his party on questions of detail regarding the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

"Before meeting Noel Pearson, questions of where is the detail, should our Constitution discriminate upon race, who will be elected, how will they be elected and will they be paid, all seemed necessary and pragmatic to me," Mr Rice-Ward said.

"Now however, I understand the necessity of inclusion within Australia's Constitution, how our Constitution already discriminates upon race and how, if successful, the Voice will operate in a collaborative advisory capacity with the Federal Government."

Mr Rice-Ward said the lawyer, academic and activist Mr Pearson explained to him how the Constitution already discriminated based on race in Section 51 (xxvi).

In the Section, the Australian Constitution states "The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for... the people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws."

"The Voice is only asking to influence the decisions made by Government in direct relation to Indigenous affairs. It is seeking to give control of Section 51 (xxvi) to the people it affects and not in its entirety, just in an advisory capacity," Mr Rice-Ward said.

READ ALSO: Dubbo's Tatum Moore and Pam Wells support an enshrined Indigenous Voice to Parliament

Conservative and leftist opponents of the Voice

Mr Rice-Ward feels the Nationals have got it wrong. As a member himself, he felt the move to request further detail stemmed from either incomprehension or political motives.

"This is either a supreme lack of understanding of the process or an ashamed political manoeuvre," he said.

He said the referendum would not contain these details because the public would be first asked whether there should be a Voice or not.

"The details will then be subject to the legislative process - which makes total sense. If the body doesn't work, if amendments need to be made, they then can be as it is not restricted by the Constitution. It will instead be debated by our elected officials and the optimal outcome will be reached," Mr Rice-Ward said.

"This is what our Parliament is for. If you do not like the model as legislated by the then Parliament you can use your vote at the next election to seek change."

He is emboldened to speak out and feels there would no repercussions from his party.

"The Nationals are a broad church of competing ideas which all have the sole focus of bettering the lives of regional people," Mr Rice-Ward said.

He also heard from Mr Pearson about why a Voice must come before a Treaty, and supported his view.

"Opponents on the left feel a Treaty must come first. A treaty is a formally concluded and ratified agreement between states. States, plural. The Voice will be the representative body in which the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are represented at the Treaty table," Mr Rice-Ward said.

"The Greens are wandering down a path reminiscent of their Carbon Tax blunder, 'If we cannot have it all our way, then no one can have it'."

READ ALSO: 'ATSIC revisited': Peter Gibbs and Frank Doolan oppose Indigenous Voice to Parliament

Mr Rice-Ward said the 'Yes' campaign leading up to the Voice referendum was losing momentum as indicated in recent polls.

He said there was a lack of clarity "emanating like a haze" from Canberra and incoherent messaging was allowing the 'No' campaign to gain traction.

"Listening to Noel further unfurls the wisdom of those actively involved in the delivery of the Voice. Makes you wonder whether the Labor Party has fully grasped what they're taking to the people of Australia later this year. Polls are already showing a decline in support since the federal election," Mr Rice-Ward said.

He believed the 'Yes' campaign should combat critics and misinformation around the Voice head-on with definitive detail from a "signal source of truth". He said strong community representatives as well as Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese could drive the message home.

According to him, enshrining the Voice within the Constitution would elevate it above previous advisory bodies because it could not be dismantled at the will of the Government of the day.

Instead, he said it would be an "ever-present reminder" of Australia's ambition in closing the gap and would deliver First Nations people "a consistent seat at the table".

"In my opinion, as a country we need to recognise the first Australians in our Constitution," Mr Rice-Ward said.

"I would encourage everyone to research the Voice, read widely and listen to those around you and when the referendum is called, make an informed decision."

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