Figures from Indigenous community respond to Nationals' decision to oppose Indigenous Voice to Parliament

David Crew, who runs the Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre in Deniliquin, said he was disappointed and surprised by the rural party's move revealed on Monday.

"The way they've approached it creates conflict and could cause harm in local communities, especially in regional communities," he said.

"I felt it would be better if the Nationals said 'we will leave it to the Australian people to decide' rather than oppose it."

Mr Crew pointed to a backlash that occurred during the Native Title debate for Aboriginal people and how scare-mongering hurt in country areas.

He has put his criticism of the Nationals' decision to its Deniliquin-based senator Perin Davey.

She said on Tuesday she would cop that criticism but defended the party's stance.

"Fundamentally it's race segregation, it's saying 'we're going to set up an agency that only a portion of our nation can apply for, can select, can be a part of'," she said.

"Once upon a time they were treated differently and we voted to stop that in 1967 when we voted in a referendum to have them in our society as fully-fledged citizens."

Senator Davey said she had received congratulations on the party's stance but also been accused of being racist.

"Of course it hurts me to be accused of racism and I think it's unfortunate that people are trying to simplify this and say 'if you're against the Voice you're racist'," she said.

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Yarrawonga's federal Nationals MP Sam Birrell said he backed his party's decision "at this point in time".

"If the detail came out and the detail was satisfactory I would consider supporting it, by the same token, an instrument of government that is only based on race - I do have a fundamental issue with that," Mr Birrell said.

He suggested the Nationals taking a stand might be a catalyst for the federal Labor government to circulate more information about a Voice, which requires a referendum, would operate.

Young Border Indigenous citizen Tahlia Biggs said she could understand why the Nationals were not supporting a Voice.

She pointed to millions of dollars spent on Closing the Gap without much success.

Ms Biggs said she supported a Voice but was sceptical about how it would operate, adding she had a preference for treaties and truth-telling.

"When it's prettied up and fancy you're cautious," she said.

"We want to see rawness, authenticity and the truth."

Ms Biggs said she had mixed reviews about the process behind the Uluru Statement which forms the basis of the Voice proposal.

Her concern centred on the diversity of Indigenous figures who had input and who was not invited.

Mr Crew pointed to his local council, Edward River, to indicate how a Voice could be beneficial.

He said his group and another Aboriginal body provided feedback and had aided with words to acknowledge traditional owners and ensured an Indigenous perspective was heard during Australia Day activities.

Mr Crew said the Voice process was about going upwards from a local level and added the government should be trusted to release more detail before Australians voted on a proposal.

Liberal member for Farrer Sussan Ley said her party wanted more particulars.

"Our party has always supported the principle of constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians, when there is consensus on the question and at a time when a referendum has the best chance of success," Ms Ley said.

"To date, the government is giving us insufficient detail on their proposal.

"When we do receive that information, the matter can go through the usual Liberal party room discussions."

Independent Indi MP Helen Haines declined to comment on the Nationals' decision.

She has previously said she supports the Voice.

"Cultural recognition of Indigenous Australians is well past due," she said in July.

"I believe that enshrining a First Nations Voice in the constitution is a crucial first step to addressing the dispossession and systematic disempowerment of First Nations people."

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