From The Heart director Dean Parkin says the Nationals' decision to oppose constitutional recognition through a Voice to Parliament is "rash, illogical, and dismissive of the overwhelming will of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reflected in a vast survey published by Reconciliation Australia last week".
"The Nationals have taken a position that is vastly out of step with Australians, who understand that constitutional recognition through a Voice to Parliament is a simple and effective way to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a direct say over laws and policies that affect them," he said.
"Politicians, often with the best of intentions, have tried for decades to devise policies to produce better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within existing processes. The failure on this front has been indisputable.
"The Nationals MPs in the federal parliament stood today in Canberra and made the case for more of the same," Mr Parkin said.
On Monday Nationals leader David Littleproud announced his party would not support an enshrined Indigneous Voice to Parliament claiming "we don't believe that this will genuinely close the gap".
Speaking alongside fellow party members in Canberra, Mr Littleproud said the decision is informed by wide consultations with regional communities and key Indigenous voices.
"I've had consultations both with Warren Monday, but also with Pat Anderson and Professor Megan Davis to make sure that we understood what this was trying to achieve," he said.
"As the men and women who represent regional, rural and remote Indigenous Australians, it was important that we got comfort with the fact that this would close the gap. Unfortunately, we've got to a position where we don't believe that this will genuinely close the gap."
The Nationals' leader said the party believes in "empowering local indigenous communities, giving them the power at a local level, not creating another layer of bureaucracy here in Canberra".
Mr Parkin said the Nationals' position "makes no sense" because constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders through a Voice to Parliament "is all about making a practical difference on the ground".
"It is about moving on from gestures and into proper solutions.
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the broader Australian community know it is time to take practical steps forward. Giving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a guaranteed seat at the table lays the foundations for making that happen."
Mr Littleproud pointed to the failures a Voice would have in creating positive change through self-determined Indigenous desicison-making, economic opportunity, education and Closeing the Gap on domestic violence.
"We want a respectful conversation about this drawing on the men and women who this should be a opportunity to change their lives for the better," Mr Littleproud said.
"We don't believe that this will."
"Hear those voices from regional rural or remote Australia, not just those that might be in Redfern, because this is an important moment in our nation's history and unfortunately it will be lost."
Mr Littlepoud thanked Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who has long opposed the Voice, for her input.
The Federal Government is expected to hold a referendum on the Voice within 18 months.
