Linda Burney attends Wodonga's Indigenous voice to Parliament forum

The event on July 25 was the biggest show of support for the Indigenous voice to Parliament held so far in Albury-Wodonga ahead of another forum this Sunday, July 30, to be led by 'no' campaigner Warren Mundine at the same venue.

As the crowd, mostly aged from 30 and above, entered The Cube from 7pm, North East Acting Senior Sergeant Mick Savage heading the contingent said police were aware of threats to disrupt the gathering.

"I wouldn't say it's heavy but there's certainly a few of us here," he said. "We're just here to make sure the event's run properly and to keep the peace. From Eastern Region Division four we have seven police officers."

At the back car park of The Cube, five public order response vehicles were discreetly parked while at the Hovell Street front area, Melbourne officers from the evidence gathering team were seen monitoring the crowd.

Just after 7.30pm, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney was introduced to rock star applause followed by Yes23 Campaign director Dean Parkin and Indi MP Helen Haines.

Ms Burney said during her opening address that she had seen the "disgusting" way "Australia had been split down the middle" during native title debates in the 1990s.

"The thing that strikes me about this referendum is that it truly empowers people," she said. "It truly makes the voice a permanent part of the Constitution that is the law book of this country, where no government can get rid of it by stroke of a pen which has happened before," she said.

"I have come from decades of experience and I know, I truly believe that this opportunity is a once in a lifetime chance for our people.

"This voice will be representative of our people whether it be in regional Australia, remote Australia or urban Australia."

Mr Parkin, speaking after crowd response to issues including understanding the referendum and questions about whether a "yes" vote will make a practical difference described the referendum as a new chapter and that the first line of the chapter would be recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first people of the country.

Other issues raised included "will it create 'special rights' for one group of Australians?", "will it unite or divide?", and "do First Nations people support the voice?".

He said when he heard people say it would racially divide the country he would tell them, "You're 200 years too late", drawing a laugh from the crowd.

"It is about making the voice making representations to the house and the executive government of the Commonwealth on matters related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," he said.

"Of the thousands of conversations that I've had with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the country, not once have I heard a mob say, well what about those nuclear submarines? Not once.

"They're talking about our young people, about health, education, housing, jobs, those are this issues time and time again.

"So every time you hear a politician speaking out saying, well I don't know the details, turn around and say - well it's your job to find out. That's what we pay you to do."

Albury Anglican rector Father Peter MacLeod-Miller, who has previously said he would vote against the voice, after Tuesday's forum said he was now undecided but he said he was convinced that, even after hearing intelligent arguments for the voice at Tuesday night's forum, he believed many others would be in the same undecided position.

"I don't think they addressed the real objection to it, I do think Helen Haines is the most impressive leader, very helpful, but I think they didn't really address the real objections about underlying principles of equality and the Constitution.

"But I believe that everyone here was mostly on the same page."

When Tuesday's event was announced last week some social media outlets buzzed with some voices of "no" support protesters. One netizen said a group was "heavily involved" in the cancellation of Wangaratta's Rainbow Ball last month.

Before Tuesday's forum, Victoria Police said they were aware of opponents' plans, some from Wangaratta, to "raid the joint" but assured anyone planning to attend event that community safety was their top priority.

To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: