Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney has labelled comments from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price that there are no ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous Australians a "betrayal".
Speaking to the National Press Club on Thursday, Ms Price outlined her reasons for voting no in the upcoming Voice referendum before diverting to the topic of colonisation upon questioning.
The shadow minister for Indigenous Australians and no campaign leader said she did not believe there were lasting negative impacts from colonisation.
"I'll be honest with you, no, I don't think so. Positive impact? Absolutely," Senator Price said.
"Now we've got running water. We've got readily available food. I mean, everything that my grandfather had when he was growing up, because he first saw whitefellas when he was in his early adolescence.
"Aboriginal Australians, many of us have the same opportunities as all other Australians in this country... There's no ongoing negative impacts of colonisation."
The senator said "if we keep telling Aboriginal people that they are victims, we are effectively removing their agency and then giving them the expectation that someone else is responsible for their life".
Her personal experiences, and those experienced by her mother and remote communities, including women's disadvantage, marital customs and sexual, domestic and family abuse were pointed to as issues needing to be addressed.
Pressed on whether intergenerational trauma is a concern, senator Price joked she "should be doubly suffering from intergenerational trauma" as someone with Indigenous and convict ancestry.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said there needs to be acceptance for a "broad range of views".
Ms Burney said Senator Price's position was "offensive and the real betrayal to many families who have experienced things like the Stolen Generations".
"The idea that colonisation, in any country where there's been a colonisation process, doesn't have long and far reaching effects is simply wrong," she told the ABC.
Arrente and Kalkadoon filmmaker Rachel Perkins said Senator Price's comments showed a limited understanding, and put question marks over her ability to lead the Coalition's policy agenda for Indigenous Australians.
"There's no mistake that First Nations people (globally)...all suffer from similar social circumstances. That is not a coincidence. That is a result of colonisation," she told the ABC.
Ms Perkins said the impacts of colonisation are a reason for needing the Voice to Parliament.
Minister Burney had earlier told NSW Premier Chris Minns she had been subjected to "appalling" racism and bullying on the Yes campaign trail.
