Former Liberal foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, has claimed that a no result in the voice referendum would send a "very negative message" to the world about the openness of Australian society.
Speaking at a Yes campaign in Perth on Monday, Bishop used her position as chancellor of Australian National University to strongly back the voice.
"We've done a great deal of research and analysis on the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the yes campaign, the referendum, and we believe that this is an opportunity to get things right," she said.
Bishop - a Western Australian local - is popular amongst voters of the state, but her stance puts her at odds with senior WA liberals Andrew Hastie and Michaelia Cash.
In response to a question about what a no vote would mean for Australia on the world stage, Bishop echoed sentiments from Labor members, including prime minister Anthony Albanese, that it would impact the nation's "openness and empathy".
"I know that Australia's international reputation can be affected by a No vote," she said.
"It's not a front-of-mind issue for most people, but I know that Australia's international reputation can be affected by a no vote.
"I have no doubt that it will be sending a very negative message about the openness and the empathy and the respect and responsibility that the Australian people have for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders."
Appearing alongside foreign minister Penny Wong, Bishop said the message to the world would be concerning.
"It's probably more difficult for Penny to say this because she's out there on the international stage having to promote Australia's current position, but I would be most concerned at the message this would send the rest of the world if we can't find it in our hearts to say yes," she said.
Asked for a response, Wong said: "Julie, as always, is very eloquent and I'm going to leave it at that."
"This referendum is about recognition, it's about listening and it's about better outcomes, and as Julie very eloquently spoke about, this is something after 20 years in politics, you look at and think 'this is a way of trying to make sure we actually do better and listen to what Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people have said to us'."
Her statement mirrors those of her former Liberal party colleague, Ken Waytt, who in March criticised his former party and their stance on the voice.
Mr Wyatt, a Yamatji man who is a member of the government's Referendum Working Group, handed back his Liberal party membership in response to their stance on the referendum, saying it would be a mistake "globally" for the Liberals to not support the referendum, noting there was a perception from his time in office than his former party was "racist.'
"It's not my perspective; it's a global perspective," he told the Guardian at the time.
"So there is a perception about our party (that it is racist), which I am sad about, because the Liberal party is a good party, and there are a lot of good people within the Liberal party."
AAP's Dominic Giannini and Andrew Brown reported on Monday that the Prime Minister had jetted west for the 15th time since he took office.
Mr Albanese is hoping to push more support for the yes vote in a state that has seen support decline, with the contentious Indigenous cultural heritage laws becoming a flashpoint in the referendum debate nationally.
"This is a very gracious request from Indigenous people, just to be recognised and to be listened to through the voice," he said.
He claimed in a press conference that the liberals opposition to the voice was undermined by their support for a legislated voice.
"The only difference is that we don't think it should be able to be abolished with the stroke of a pen. Its composition and its procedures are very clearly up to the parliament," he said.
