The Australian Greens and independent members of parliament have expressed dismay at the Liberal Party's opposition to a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.
Greens leader Adam Bandt was scathing of both the Liberals and their leader, Peter Dutton, labelling them as a "a small racist rump sliding into irrelevance".
"The rest of the country is starting to reckon with its past as we march towards a treaty, but Peter Dutton is trying to ignite a culture war," Mr Bandt said on Wednesday.
He also highlighted Mr Dutton's choice in 2008 to boycott Kevin Rudd's Apology to the Stolen Generations, noting that "…the Liberals have found themselves on the wrong side of history yet again".
Mr Bandt said the Greens would be "strongly campaigning" for a Yes vote.
The party's First Nation's spokesperson, Yamatji-Noongar woman Senator Dorinda Cox said that she was "disappointed, but not surprised" with the Liberals' decision.
"The Liberals continue to stop progress in this country by muddying the waters and pandering to their dwindling conservative base, rather than listening to the communities they claim to represent," Senator Cox said.
"Constitutional recognition has been pursued by First Nations leaders across this country for generations, including Yunupingu who passed away this week. How much longer do we have to wait before First Nations people are recognised as the First Peoples of this continent?
"How many more of our Old People need to die before we gain this recognition and respect?"
Independent Senator for the ACT, David Pocock, said on twitter that the decision showed a "heartbreaking lack of leadership".
"…the Uluru Statement from the Heart (that put forward the Voice to Parliament) is the result of years of consultation by First Nations people with Firsts Nations people right across the country," he wrote.
"I remember Aunty Pat Anderson AO and Professor Megan Davis telling me they have gotten through the decades of campaigning by turning every "no" into a "yes". Let's work together to turn the Coalition's "no" into Australia's "yes"."
Member for Warringah, Zali Steggall, argued that a body like the Voice to Parliament would help all MP's access impartial advice on legislation that will "impact Indigenous communities."
The decision by the Liberal Party on Wednesday has also caused consternation in its own ranks. Bridget Archer, a moderate who supports the Voice, said her party should just "get out of the way" and let the Labor party do what they were mandated to do at the last federal election.
"We actually had the chance to do something, and we didn't and reasonably we would be criticised for not taking action ourselves," she told the ABC.
"By not doing that, you've essentially vacated the field and you can't say that 'we would do it differently'…because you didn't."
Despite fears that the Liberal's decision may impact the wording of the Voice, Senator Cox said she would "ensure that the wording of the referendum meets the expectations of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians".
"I won't let the wording be watered down by conservatives catering to racist ideologies who want to divide us and hold Australia back," she said.
