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Prime minister Anthony Albanese says he is confident majority of Australians will vote yes to the Indigenous voice, even as Newspoll suggests support for a yes vote is slipping below 45%.

I think that as Australians focus on what is before the Australian people in the last quarter of this year, recognition and listening all upside, not downside for this proposal.

As they focus on it, as business and unions and faith groups and sporting codes all go out there campaigning, talking to people, having a look at what the actual question is that is being asked here, I believe that a majority of Australians will come to the view that I have come to, which is that we will give greater respect to Indigenous Australians but we will also enrich and lift up our nation.

This is a once in a generation opportunity and we will be saying to Australians, if not now, when will we recognise Indigenous Australians in our constitution?

I met Simon when I was 16 years old. I just joined the Labor party and he was an incredible human being. He treated me as a 16-year-old with such generosity and respect. And that travelled with me through my entire journey in politics. He supported me when I ran for local government when I was 22, when I ran for mayor, and then when I succeeded him in Hotham.

I was just reading over his texts this morning and the warmth and enjoyment he got out of the things that I achieved in politics, it will stay with me forever. He was a friend and a mentor.

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