Charlotte said a voice to parliament for the world's longest living culture, to which she belongs, is about a better future.

"Aboriginal people have so much knowledge about what works for us," Charlotte said. "I might encourage everyone to vote yes because we have so many different perspectives, we can learn from and include each other."

Charlotte's friend Winnie, aged 11, agreed that a non-Indigenous youngster living on Aboriginal land she felt Aboriginal people needed a greater voice in decisions.

They wait to see how Australia will decide the future in a referendum set for later this year.

Ballarat federal MP Catherine King visited Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative on Thursday morning amid a national week of action for the Indigenous voice to parliament. The Australian Regional Development Minister met with First Nations people and allies in what she said was a key step in bringing people together to open discussions on the vote.

BADAC will be hosting a series of events to better inform the diverse Indigenous community of the region.

While Ballarat is based on Wadawurrung Country, BADAC's Indigenous peoples are a vast mix of people with different ancestry ties to Country.

BADAC chief executive officer Karen Heap said the cooperative's board supported the voice to parliament but it was about "making sure we've got the right messaging" for people to feel informed in their personal decisions.

"I can't say every Aboriginal person is going to say yes - that is their decision and what self-determination is about," Ms Heap said. "Me, as Karen Heap, I personally support the voice to parliament. It's important and a huge step forward to us and one I support whole-heartedly but it's about giving people informed choice."

IN OTHER NEWS

Ms King reiterated a voice to parliament was about two concepts: recognition and consultation for First Nations peoples.

The voice model is an advisory body made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to provide advice to the Australian Parliament on issues affecting Indigenous communities.

Ms King said the best comparison was the Koori Engagement Action Group, which advises City of Ballarat officers and councillors to ensure decisions are considerate, informed and accountable to improving community reconciliation.

"That is what the voice will be at a national level - wherever we are in the country, we can consult on what does that mean for [First Nations peoples]," Ms King said. "Really, that is what the voice is."

Ms King said early negative messaging against the voice had predominantly been "small voices getting a lot of media attention". She said most talks she had with people in communities across the nation so far indicated most people were interested in having a broader conversation.

Wadawurrung woman Macaylah Johnson said "huge conversations" were needed so everyone could understand the referendum.

Ms Johnson said there were many complex layers to explore to better understand the voice, how it would be used and what we all want it to achieve.

"For myself, seeing my people with a seat at the table opens so many doors and opportunities to feed through from the top," Ms Johnson said. "...There's an open book and if it does go ahead, it's up to us as First Nations people to write the next chapter."

Other key features of the voice to parliament is that it would not have a veto, nor program delivery function.

More details

Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.