An Uluru Statement architect has lauded the millions of Australians who voted 'yes' to an Indigenous voice to parliament, saying the referendum provided a springboard for a national conversation about constitutional recognition.

Professor Megan Davis said the voice referendum - which would have enshrined an Indigenous advisory body in the constitution - wasn't debated seriously in a democratic context due to the myriad of misinformation.

"It is to us, incontrovertible that political lies and disinformation derailed the advocacy for a voice," she told the Centre for Public Integrity's annual integrity oration in Sydney on Wednesday night.

"Therefore we never really arrived at a point that the voice to parliament was debated or discussed seriously in the context of Australian democracy

See Full Page