Ms Anderson, who is a member of the referendum working group established by the federal government, said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians had tried every possible solution to end disadvantage.
She said the federal intervention and the removal of shire councils had left communities and families powerless, without access to badly needed services.
“There’s only one thing left in my view, and there’s a few of us that share this view. The only way we can get anybody to hear us is to use their big law and their big law is the Constitution.
“It’s not up to people’s good conscience. It’s law. By law, the biggest, most important law of the land, by law that they listen to us and hear us.”
Ms Anderson wrote the 2007 report with respected lawyer Rex Wild, KC.
A day after he flew to Alice Springs for emergency talks with local leaders, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese left open the possibility of a total alcohol ban for Alice Springs.
The newly appointed Central Australia regional controller, Dorelle Anderson, will advise the federal and Northern Territory governments on possible new community-wide opt-out grog bans by February 1.
“That’s an option that we completely have said is there on the table,” Mr Albanese told Sky.
“Clearly, when you look at the evidence on the ground, there is a need for a response. It isn’t just alcohol. There’s a range of issues there that go to Indigenous disadvantage, that go to a lack of employment. There are some specific issues as well, such as the weather … that isolated a number of the communities.”
The Prime Minister and Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles announced a new ban on takeaway alcohol sales on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays for the next three months this week.
As part of immediate new rules, locals will be limited to one transaction per day in bottle shops and all takeaway sales will be limited to the period of 3pm to 7pm on other days.
Mr Albanese said if established, the Voice to parliament would help address disadvantage and anti-social behaviour.
“What we need to do is make decisions with Indigenous Australians and listen to them and the reason why it will make a difference, the Voice isn’t the end. The Voice is the means to the end.”
Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said she believed “very deeply” the Voice would make a difference.
“We would have been getting practical advice from people who are representative of the community in relation to these social issues,” she said.
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