State and Federal MPs across the political spectrum have slammed the use of racist imagery in a full-page "No" campaign advertisement carried by the Australian Financial Review.
The advertisement depicts an Indigenous Voice campaigner Thomas Mayo appearing to dance for money while wearing a red hammer and sickle T-shirt.
NSW Liberal MP Matt Kean described the image as "a racist trope (and) a throwback to the Jim Crow era of the deep south".
A spokesperson for Nine, publisher of the Australian Financial Review, has apologised and said the ad should never have run, Guardian Australia reports.
The advertisement which appeared in Thursday's edition of the paper shows Mr Mayor alongside the Wesfarmers chairman, Michael Chaney, and his daughter independent federal MP Kate Chaney sitting on her father's lap.
Mr Chaney is depicted as holding up a handful of money in front of Mr Mayo.
The ad was authorised by Advance, the right-wing think tank funded by some of Australia's richest people, which established the Fair Australia anti-Voice campaign group.
Earlier this week Liberal leader Peter Dutton targeted Bunnings, which is owned by Wesfarmers, among other companies for donating to the Yes campaign.
National Indigenous Times has contacted Mr Mayo for comment.
Ms Chaney issued a statement expressing her disappointment in the ad.
"It's disappointing to see the No campaign stooping to personal attacks when Australians are more interested in learning the facts about the Voice and how it can contribute to Closing the Gap," she said.
"Ultimately, I think people will vote in the referendum based on what is fair and useful, not based on fear and hate."
Independent MP Monique Ryan wrote that the No campaign had "reduced a respectful and important national conversation to racist, sexist, insulting tropes".
"We are SO much better than this. Australians are kind and compassionate people," she said.
Labor MP Alicia Payne said: "There should be no place for this disgusting racist crap in Australia. The referendum is an important discussion for our nation that needs to had respectfully."
