VOTING began in Australia today morning in a referendum that could enshrine a constitutional mechanism for indigenous people to advise parliament on policies that affect their lives.

Voting is compulsory in Australia and some 98 per cent of eligible voters have signed up to cast their ballots on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.

Early voting began in four states or territories today, and the remaining four will vote today after observing a public holiday.

Supporters say embedding the Voice in the constitution would recognise indigenous people’s place in Australian history while giving them input into government policies.

The Yes campaign is lagging in opinion polls, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who supports the change, said he remains hopeful.

“I know a lot of people have not made up their mind, and what I know is that the feedback, when people talk through these issues, they arrive at a Yes vote pretty comfortably,” the Labour government leader told reporters in Melbourne.

“I sincerely think the key to the next fortnight is those one-on-one conversations with people to accept this request of the overwhelming majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

Political opponents say many unanswered questions remain on the details of how the Voice would work in practice, while some indigenous activists say the move does not go far enough.

A survey published by the Australian Financial Review last week showed that support for the Voice had fallen to 33 per cent, down by 15 per cent since May.

Indigenous people make up about 3.2 per cent of its 26 million population and have a life expectancy of some eight years less than non-indigenous Australians.

They are currently not mentioned in the 122-year-old constitution.